The Lost Soul
by Warcroft
Summary: Harry Potter's fourth year is full of excitement, for others, that is. He is thrown into a tournament he does not want to be a part of and finds a family secret that has been hidden from him for thirteen years. Prelude to: It's Not Over Yet by Colie88
1. Alone

_October 31, 1981_

Titan Black was playing outside in her backyard while her mum and stepfather cleaned up dinner. They had told her she couldn't go trick or treating this year, for safety reasons. Thus, she was looking forlornly over the fence, where she knew no one could see her. Her gray eyes shone with envy as she watched all the other kids go from house to house, wishing she could be out there too. Suddenly she heard her mum scream, loudly. It startled her so much she jumped and shrieked. She ran towards the back door of the house when suddenly the corner of the house that held her brother's room was blown apart.

Titan winced as bits of wall went wizzing past her. She decided that she could avoid any trouble if she went in through the front of the house. She had to find James, had to find her stepfather, once she found him, everything would be alright. She didn't have to search far before she stumbled upon his body. She knelt beside him, tears staining her cheeks as she shook him, telling him he needed to get up and save Mommy. Her tears fell on his face as she cried harder, realizing what it meant that his eyes stared through her, cold and lightless.

She knew not how long she sat there, staring at James, she more than likely would have sat there until someone came and found her if it hadn't been for the fact that her brother let out an exceptionally long and high pitched wail that snapped her out of her reverie. She jerked her head up. Harry was crying, and where Harry was, Mommy was sure to be! She stood and began making her way to her brother's room. And then she remembered the light and the explosion. _But what if, the reason Harry was crying, was because Mommy...?_ She bolted for her brother's room at a dead run. "Mommy?!"

Titan came to a screeching halt when she reached the doorway of the room. In the far corner, there was a gaping hole, her brother lay in his crib, screaming for comfort, and half buried in the rubble lay Lily Potter's lifeless body. "MOMMY!!"

She flung herself upon her mother's body, her cries and sobs wracking her little frame. Titan lay there for some moments, until she had no more tears left. By now, Harry had stopped crying. She turned her head and looked out the hole and up at the sky, and searching, she whispered, "Please come save me, Daddy."

And in the silence that followed her request, she heard it. A strange strangling noise, like something was trying to hang on to life with everything it had left, which wasn't much. She stood and walked toward the noise, which seemed to be emanating from a pile of black robes on the floor. Titan kneeled and began sifting through the fabric. The first thing she came across was a white wand, and the next thing she laid her eyes on was the most pitiful looking creature she had ever seen.

What lay there could barely be called a creature, but it wasn't exactly human. It had a rather large head and small body, and great big slits for eyes, which held a slight reddish tint. A wave of lonliness washed over her, followed by a new emotion; protectiveness. This creature was alone, and so was she. Titan had lost James and her mother, and her father hadn't come, even when she'd asked him to. Her mind was set as to what she had to do.

She scooped the robes up, the creature along with them, clutching the wand in her hand, and with barely a backwards glance at her brother, whom she knew someone would save, she darted off into the night.


	2. Second Chance

Fifteen year old Titan stretched from her reverie, Dumbledore's letter asking her to come to the school must have triggered that daydream. She glanced at the clock and seeing it was nearly time for her to leave, she hurried down the stairs to bid her family farewell. But, they could hardly be called her family, none of the people she lived with were related in the least. There was Peter, a sniveling, ridiculous excuse for a wizard, and Flora, the nursemaid that helped Titan care for her master when she was away doing errands.

Then there was her master, this man she had learned inexplicably wondrous things from, though at the moment he could barely be called a man. He resembled a shriveled beastie of some sort, like a diseased House Elf, but, man or beast, it didn't matter, he had been as close to a father to her as she could have ever hoped for. And she had dutifully played the role of the doting daughter, gathering the people to him that he required and helping him regain his former strength bits at a time.

Titan reached the sitting room and knelt before the giant overstuffed high backed chair that sat in front of the fireplace. "I will be heading out now, Master."

A high pitched and raspy voice spoke to her from the depths of the chair. "You really are hopeful he welcomes you back, but what will you do if he does not?"

Titan shifted a little uneasily. "I would return here and finish what I've started."

His silence that followed told her she was dismissed, she bowed her head and stood, pausing on her way out the door only to pick up her broom.

Titan stood in Dumbledore's office, taking the time she had until he arrived to examine her surroundings, all the clutter and noise made her head ache. She had just been wondering what could possibly be keeping him when the door opened and he swept into the room.

Upon spotting her, he motioned for her to take a seat. "How are you these days, Titan?"

Sitting down, Titan felt as if it had only been two days, instead of two years since she had last attended this school. "I am quite fine, sir. But I must admit, I am a little confused as to why you have called me here."

Dumbledore's face crinkled with a grin and he chuckled lightly. "Haven't really changed, have you? Well, let's get right to it, then. I'm revoking your suspension. You will return to Hogwarts in two weeks time, and you will be re-sorted and start off as a fourth year. I believe that was what you were to be next?"

Titan's eyes were practically bulging from her head, "Yes, sir. May I ask why am I to be re-sorted?"

Dumbledore simply smiled, "To give you a fresh start, just in case you have, in fact, changed."

Two weeks later, Titan was sitting on The Hogwarts Express in a compartment all alone, she had seen a Weasley, which one, she didn't know and had decided to duck out of the hallway and into an empty set of seats. Unfortunately as she did so, Lee Jordan caught sight of her and recognition dawning on his face, he had scurried off before she could bribe him into silence.

The train began to move and Titan sighed, settling into her seat. She sat like this for only a couple of minutes when her compartment door slammed open.


	3. The Sorting

((A/N : I used the first two students up for Sorting in book four as this is the same year. Credit goes to J.K. Rowling))

Stepping off the train, Titan smiled to herself, she had gone the whole train ride without seeing a Weasley, well, unless that runt that had opened her compartment was one. She chuckled at the memory of those three imbeciles, especially the female with the frizzed hair. Titan had simply said, "Compartment's taken.", but those kids had, well, _she_ had, really, just stood there and stared at her until she emitted a menacing growl, which caused them to turn tail and run.

Titan sighed into the rain as she stepped into one of the boats for the first years. She understood Dumbledore's point in keeping her re-admittance under wraps until the Sorting, but for someone who was used to the Thestrals, this was very near unbearable.

She walked, soaked to the bone, into the Entrance Hall with the first years, and her heart swelled. She was back, and it really wasn't a dream. Looking around her, Titan noticed the all nervous faces. She wanted nothing more than to tell them of how much fun they were going to have, but she remembered what Dumbledore had said, and she stood there in silence.

As Profesor McGonagall led them through the Great Hall to the front to be Sorted, Titan took extreme caution to not look at any of the students sitting at there House tables. She realized that hoping for no one to recognize her was futile when she heard several gasps sound throughout the Hall, most of them coming from the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables.

Once lined up properly, she scanned the tables, and sure enough, she saw them. Fred and George Weasley were staring up at her with their mouths gaping open.

Harry noticed Fred and George's faces and he followed their gaze to the girl from the train. He turned back to look at Fred. "Do you know her?"

Fred nodded dumbly. "Yes, I do, haven't seen her in two years, but why's she _up there_?"

Hermione turned a quizzical look on Fred. "You mean she's not supposed to be up there?"

George shook his head, "No, she's already been Sorted. Five years ago when she was a first year she was put in Slytherin."

Fred and George turned to each other and then they looked at Harry. "No. Not possible." They chorused.

The names rang out. The Sorting Hat replied. And the House tables each erupted in applause in turn.

"Ackerley, Stewart!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Baddock, Malcolm!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Black, Titanus!"

A hush fell over the Hall as Titan stepped up to the stool, extending a slight nod toward McGonagall, seated herself on the stool and placed the hat upon her head. As the seconds went on, the tension in the air grew thicker.

And then, finally; "GRYFFINDOR!"

There were two reactions as Titan walked to take her seat with her new House. The first, a loud simultaneous groan, was from the Slytherins. The second, and perhaps the most chaotic, was from the Gryffindors, led by Fred and George Weasley and Lee Jordan.

Titan came upon them on her way down the table and was stuffed in between the twins who were still cheering over dramatically. She gave them a small smile, "I'm glad I've been received so well."

Fred wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "As if we could ever dislike you."

Hermione immediately leaned forward. "Are you aware of who you look like?"

George tried to divert her attention, "Come now, Hermione, is that anything to say to someone you just met?"

Titan's eyes hadn't left Harry's face since she had sat down. "I'm glad to see you're still in one piece, Deathless Wonder. And to answer your question, Hermione, wasn't it? No, I don't know. Why don't you make me aware?"

Hermione leaned forward even more and in a hushed whisper she spoke. "You're the female spitting image of Sirius Black."

Titan laughed. "That's not the first time I've heard that, but it is the first time I've heard it said that way."

Hermione's face fell slightly. "Oh."

Titan's mouth quirked in a crooked smile, "And besides, why shouldn't I be good looking just like my father?"


	4. The Welcome

Harry's jaw hit his plate as his mouth became agape in shock.

Fred furrowed his brow. "But Titan, you said-"

"Oh, I know what I said before, but that was years ago. Not to mention that Deathless Wonder here is bound to know everything already, what with father escaping and everything." She waved a noncommittal hand in the air.

Harry snapped his mouth shut. "I know that he is my Godfather. And that he's innocent!"

Titan chuckled darkly, "He's not as innocent as you think, Deathless Wonder," Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Hermione glaring at her, "What?"

Hermione leaned forward, an irritated expression on her face, "Why do you keep calling Harry 'Deathless Wonder'? It sounds like you're not grateful that he stopped Voldemort."

Ron winced, and the twins each grabbed one of Titan's arms to keep her in her spot and from strangling Hermione as the Sorting continued.

Titan feigned deep thought for a few seconds, "Let's see. 'Deathless' as in 'not dead' or 'alive' and 'Wonder' as in 'an enigma' or 'something that people worship and/or look up to unhealthily', just like I knew they would."

Hermione's brows drew together, "Does that mean you knew him before that night?"

Titan nodded with a scoff, "Of course I knew him."

Harry's mind was reeling from this as he stared down at his plate, "How...?" he managed without his voice shaking too much.

"Aw, come on, man. Our dads were best mates, how could I NOT have known you?" she paused briefly, "I was even at James and M- Lily's wedding."

Harry's head snapped up sharply, "I meant how is it that Sirius had a child?"

"Well, Deathle-er, Harry," Titan added with a pointed look at Hermione, "it's a little thing called 'shagging' you'll learn about it when you're older and interested in non-frizzy wenches." She gave a sophisticated teacher like, yet mocking grin.

She patted George firmly on the back as he choked on his laugh and started sputtering. "There, there, Feorge, you shouldn't hold that stuff in, you'll explode."

The Great Hall erupted in applause as Dumbledore stood, apparently the Sorting was over. "I have only two words to say to you," he told everyone in the Hall, "_Tuck in_."

As Harry dug into his food, famished, he felt someone watching him. Looking up, he met Titan's gaze. She sat there, not touching any food, with her hands clasped in front of her mouth and her chin resting on her thumbs. He thought he read pain in her eyes. "Is something wrong, Titan? Are you not feeling well?"

Titan gave a faint smile, "I'll be fine. They really loved you, you know. More than anything in the world, they loved you."

Harry's heart skipped and he set down his fork, "Could you tell me about them?"

Titan nodded her head slightly, "Yes, but later, when there aren't so many busy bodies around. Perhaps tomorrow evening."

Fred grinned at her, "Are you getting soft on us, Titan?"

Titan turned her head and was practically nose to nose with him, "Fred, do you wish to be missing pieces and parts of your anatomy? If not, then you should remove your hand from my thigh for we are not that friendly anymore."

Fred's expression lingered between amused and horrified as George choked on his Pumpkin Juice and sprayed it across the table and all over Ron's face.

Amidst all of his normal start of term, end of meal words, Dumbledore had introduced the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and informed them all of the Triwizard Tournament. The latter on his list was all the students could talk about as they were herded off to their dormitories.

"There not stopping me entering," Fred ground through his teeth as they exited the Hall. "I'm going to try anyhow. Care to join me, Titan?"

The smile he aimed at her vanished as he turned and saw that she had disappeared from his side.

She was tired, she had meant to send her master a letter telling him all was okay, but she decided to do it in the morning. Right now, she needed a bed, her right arm had been hurting since the appearance of Alastor Moody, and in turn, she had gotten a headache. Titan briefly wondered where all her classmates had gone, when she suddenly realized she was in the wrong part of the castle, headed for the wrong common room.

She spun around quickly and came face to face with the ugliest girl she'd ever seen. The girl screamed, and instinctively, Titan slapped her across the face. Not too long afterwards, the sound of feet running towards them reached Titan's ears and she sighed, this was not how she wanted to start off the new term.

The footsteps skidded to a halt as a voice said, "What's happened, Pansy?"

Titan spun herself around and laid eyes upon a rather handsome boy with a narrow pointed face and damn near neon blond hair. And she almost laughed out loud.

The ugly girl flung herself at her 'rescuer' with a dramatic flounce and a flurry of tears. "Oh, Draco, this Gryffindor assaulted me as I was on my way to meet you."

Titan clasped her hands behind her back and stood straight, "As I recall, my dear, you crept up on me. I was simply strolling along, taking in the sights and you popped up out of nowhere and screamed your homely little head off." She took a step closer to them.

Draco straightened himself up as well, "What is it that you want in the dungeons? Or are you just looking for something to blame on us Slytherins?"

Titan cocked her head in true confusion, "Why would I do that?"

Draco's eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Because you're a Gryffindor, a Mudblood lover!"

She wasn't exactly sure what angered her more, being called a Gryffindor, or his use of the word 'Mudblood.' In her frenzy to get to Draco, Titan grabbed Pansy, wrenching her from his grasp, and flung her toward the stairs. She shoved him against the wall, her weight holding him in place as she stared him in the eyes, nose to nose.

Her voice was a low growl, "Be careful of what you say and who you say it to, boy. You don't want to go alienating the wrong people, do you now?"

Draco shook his head, "No, Titan."

Titan quirked an eyebrow, "Finally got your wits about you again? I trust you'll not forget who I am from now on." She heaved herself back into a standing position and turned away from him.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I need my rest." She said as she walked away, placing her hands in her pockets.

Harry sat in an overstuffed chair by the fire in the common room and watched as Fred paced nervously.

"I don't see why you're so worried about that woman, she's rude, obnoxious, cruel, and, well, a bitch!" said Ron from his position on the floor near the fire.

George had perched on the edge of a chair, and watched his brother in a half amused state, "Fred, this is Titan we're talking about. What could possibly happen to her?"

Fred stopped in his tracks and stared at his twin in disbelief. He opened and closed his mouth a couple times before resuming his path. "There are many things! She could have gotten attacked by any number of people! The Hufflepuffs, for instance, we all know that Diggory, nice of a guy as he appears, hates her with a passion! And the Slytherins! They -"

A voice at the portrait hole made them all jump, "What could those mangy brainless gits do to me? Glare me to death?" Titan took a few steps forward and grabbed Fred's arm and pulled him to her in a one armed hug. She looked him in the eyes, "I'm fine. Nothing has happened to me, no one is out to get me. You can go to bed now, for that is surely what I intend to do."

Titan was halfway across the common room when she turned and walked back to Fred. She gently pecked him on the cheek before turning back and disappearing up the stairwell with a "Night all."


	5. First Day Back and a Really Long Chat

Their first lesson of the new term was Herbology with the Hufflepuffs. Harry, Ron, and Hermione watched in amazement as Titan poked and prodded the Bubotuber in front of her in curious wonder. Her eyes seemed to take on a mischievous shine when Professor Sprout stated that the undiluted pus did funky things to your skin. Noting their gaze on her, she took extra care to ensure that none of them saw her bottle some and slip it into her robes for later study and possible use.

When the bell tolled across the grounds, the Gryffindors headed for Care of Magical Creatures, where Titan, upon seeing that Hagrid was the teacher, became so surprised, she tripped on a tree root and toppled into someone, taking them down with her. She cursed colorfully as she extricated herself from the person. She didn't understand why the Three Amigos were staring at her in horror until she turned and saw who she had knocked over.

Draco Malfoy sat on all fours, his robes covered in earth and an expression of utter loathing upon his dirt smeared face. "You'll pay for that." He threatened her.

Titan turned her back, laughing at him, "I hardly think so."

Harry, Hermione, and Ron were at her elbow almost instantly. "Do you know who that was?" Hermione asked in a whisper.

"Of course I do," Titan stopped and looked up at the sky, "After all, I was a Slytherin once, and surprisingly, that little leech looked up to me." She turned her eyes upon them, "Scary, isn't it?"

As the lesson went on, Hagrid walked over to the four of them, "Nice ter see ye back, Titan!"

Titan dodged an explosion from the Blast-Ended Skrewt in front of her, "It's nice to be back, Hagrid. Glad to see they made you a Professor! And I must say, these are the most delightful creatures I've ever encountered thus far!"

As Hagrid walked away to check on the other students, beaming, Harry leaned over, "You were kidding, right? About these being 'delightful creatures'?"

Titan shook her head, "No, of course not. I really do like these things. They really keep you guessing."

Immediately after lunch, Harry, Ron, and Titan had Divination. They climbed the silvery ladder and clambered through the trap door. As they seated themselves at a small circular table, Titan shuddered involuntarily, "This woman gives me the willies," she muttered to Harry and Ron.

Just then, Professor Trelawney came into view and stopped before Harry. She mournfully peered down at him and gave her usual start of term prediction of tragedy before moving away to sit in her winged armchair at the front of the class. Titan gave another involuntary shudder as Harry and Ron exchanged rolled eyes.

Titan sighed, "There is something genuinely wrong with that woman. She's so..so..creepy," she shuddered again.

Ron laughed as Harry looked at her, "You don't believe the things she says do you?"

"Of course I don't," Titan said as Hermione joined them, "Everyone knows she's a bit of a phony, it's just that she's so damn eerie with those glasses and all that choking incense."

They all laughed until they came face to face with Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle just outside of the Great Hall. Malfoy brandished the newspaper article about Mr. Weasley in their faces as Harry, Titan, and Hermione held Ron back by his robes. Words were exchanged that caused Malfoy's face to turn pink, "Don't you dare insult my mother, Potter."

"Keep your fat mouth shut then," said Harry as he turned away to follow Hermione and Titan who were dragging Ron in another direction. Suddenly, there was a BANG and something grazed the side of Harry's face. He spun around, reaching for his wand as there was another BANG, to see Professor Moody limping toward them, his wand pointed at a white ferret on the floor in the exact spot Malfoy had been standing.

It was the talk of the school at supper, Professor Moody turning Draco Malfoy into a bouncing white ferret. The only ones not discussing this topic with great smiles on their faces were the Slytherins, the murderous looks of all of them were coming from Crabbe and Goyle.

"Well," Titan rose from the table with a sigh, "I'm headed back to the common room, got some reading I want to do," she took a couple steps away from the table before turning back and looking at Harry, "When you're ready to talk about them, feel free to come find me. A promise is a promise."

Harry watched her leave the Hall with a massive amount of butterflies assaulting his stomach. As many times as Dumbledore had mentioned them, Harry had never been this excited to hear about his parents. And maybe, just maybe, he'd be able to hear more about Sirius as well.

Titan sat in an overstuffed chair in front of the fire in the common room, reading. She didn't bother to look up when someone sat on the arm of the chair, "What is it Fred?"

Fred touched a hand to her hair, "Are you going to tell him?"

Titan sighed and closed her book, "Not at the moment. Do I think he deserves to know? Yes, I do, but now is not the time to tell him," she looked up into his face, "So for now, I need you and George's discretion and assistance in keeping this under wraps."

"George will gladly help you, me, on the other hand," Fred leaned down so that they were almost nose to nose, "I need some sort of an incentive," a small smirk played at the edge of his lips.

Titan looked thoughtful for a moment, "Blackmail, eh? I see you've learned. Very well," she leaned up and captured his mouth with hers in a kiss that lingered for a few moments before she broke it, "Will that appease you for now?"

A slow grin spread across Fred's face, "Of course, Priestess," he straightened up as he heard people clambering up the stairs towards the portrait hole, "We will discuss the rest later, I presume?"

At Titan's nod, Fred stood and crossed the common room to wait for Lee and George. Titan once again opened her book and began to read. She was still doing so when Harry plopped himself down in the chair next to her and leaned over, "Pst! Titan! Is it okay if we talk now?"

Titan looked up and closed her book, "Of course it is, Harry. Come, scoot your chair over more, that's it," she rearranged herself in her chair, tucking her feet under her, "Now, what would you like to hear first?"

They started the discussion off with talk of Lily, and ended it well after all the other students had gone to bed talking about James. Harry had never been happier discussing his parents with anyone. Titan told him that they had treated her as their own, and even stayed with them when Sirius was away on business.

As Harry walked to the stairwell that led to the boys dormitories, he faintly heard Titan's voice call to him, "Harry, when you met my father, he didn't mention me at all did he?"

Harry turned back to face her, "No, he didn't. But then again, at that moment it was all about trying not to lose Pettigrew -Oh, wait, do you know that story?"

Titan nodded, her face masked, "Yes I know the story, quite well, actually. If you hear from him, could you let me know?" Harry's face grew puzzled, "I'm not sure he knows I'm still alive, you see, and I want to surprise him," she smiled gently.

Harry nodded, "Of course, as soon as I have word from him, I'll let you know." he turned and went up the stairs to bed, content for the first time in a while because he now knew more about his parents than ever before.

A/N : thanks to Abbiedail123 for the first review :hands over a dozen cookies**: **as for the question about the side Titan is on, I'd have to say...both? There's much more coming that explains it – please stay tuned!


	6. A Request and A Revelation

**(A/N : I'M BACK!! Thanks to Hurricane Ike reaching his long limbs all the way to Ohio, I lost power for four days and was unable to even work on this since I type everything in the heat of the moment. Thank the gods I had saved it just before everything went **_**blip!**_**...Anyways! Chapter six! Enjoy! R&R)**

On Thursday they had their first Defense Against the Dark Arts class. They all sat, still and quiet as the grave, as they waited for Professor Moody. All, that is, except for Titan, who sat fidgeting nervously in her seat, clenching and releasing her right hand. Once the students had gotten used to Moody's gruffness, the lesson itself was rather extraordinary.

Two spiders tortured and one arachnid death later, Professor Moody was on a small tirade.

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

The class jumped and Titan squeaked, wrapping her arms around herself as her faced paled visibly. Moody's magical eye swiveled to her, but he kept silent. Harry, too, looked to his godfather's daughter. The poor girl looked like she might faint right there in class!

When class had ended, Harry hung back to wait on Titan, who seemed to be lost, she dropped the items she was trying to put into her bag at least six times before getting it right, "Are you alright, Titan?"

She looked him in the eyes and he could see they held fear. But as she spoke, they masked themselves and became cool and aloof, "I'm fine, a little tired, perhaps, but I'm fine," she brushed past him and out the door before he could say anything more.

They ate greedily of dinner, and Harry couldn't help but notice that Titan was missing. He wondered if she had gone to the hospital wing, but the thought was forgotten as he and Ron began discussing the Unforgivable Curses.

When Sirius' letter arrived later that evening, Harry was enraged at himself, why had he gone and told Sirius about his scar? If he got caught now, Harry would never forgive himself. He tried to find Titan, to let her know that he'd heard from her father, but he couldn't seem to locate her. He resigned himself that she was probably in bed, and he would have to tell her when he saw her in the morning.

Titan ran down the stairs, sometimes skipping three at a time. If she didn't get behind a closed door soon, she would be known as the school loon. She wanted to scream as she ran down the dungeon corridor. Titan skidded to a halt in front of a large oak door. Frantically, she beat her fists on the door, "Professor! Professor!" she leaned heavily on the door, the tears in her eyes close to streaming down her cheeks, "Please...Professor!"

The door opened inward and Titan fell through its opening and into the man behind it. The tears she had been holding back now ran freely, soaking the front of the man's robes.

"Black," Professor Snape sneered at the girl clutching his now soaked robes, "May I remind you that I am no longer your Head of House, and I suggest that any _issues_ you may have should be taken up with Professor McGonagall."

"Please, Professor! I need your help!" She lifted her face to look him in the eye.

The haunted and frightened pleading in her eyes caught his angry retort in his throat and it died, "Fine, Miss Black. Enter and take a seat." he closed the door with a loud snap and turned back to her, "But if this has anything to do with that Weasley boy, you're out, understood? I'll not help you brew a love potion."

Titan nodded, tears still streaming down her cheeks. What was it about the girl that unnerved him? He shook his head, he was going to miss his dinner tonight, and he knew it, "Now, what is so catastrophically important, that it has upset you like this?"

Titan's face contorted with despair, "I thought I would be fine, being back, thought I could handle seeing _him_ every day. But I can't! I close my eyes at night and I stare into their eyes! The house...He's the reason! He should have died! It's all his fault!" she cried out in rage and Snape took a instinctive step back, all ill mannered comments forgotten.

"Titan, you're babbling. I have no clue as to what you speak of." he cautiously stepped forward.

Her tears seemed to vanish, and the anguished look on her face transformed into ugly hate, "That wretched brat, Potter. The one who is lifted upon the highest of all pedestals as 'The Boy Who Lived.' If he had died, my mother - "

Snape cut in, "Do you really think that the Potters' would have lived if the Dark Lord had killed him?" he was shocked, his own loathing of Potter notwithstanding, this was not at all acceptable, "Is that who you see in your dreams?"

Titan nodded, "Yes, my mother and stepfather. They tell me that they had their reasons for leaving me behind, but -"

Snape looked at her sternly, he had to get this over with, his stomach was killing him to be fed, "Dreams are just our imaginations mingling with our memories and inner knowledge. If in your dreams, they tell you they had a reason, then that is truly what you believe. I highly doubt that you really believe it to be Potter's -" something she had said caught up to him, "You said 'mother'. Your mother was...?" he trailed off, shock apparent on his face.

Titan cocked her head to the side, "My mother was Lily Evans Potter and my father is Sirius Black." she noticed his expression, "Is there something wrong, Professor?"

Snape shook himself out of his thoughts, "No, what is it you needed from me, besides the obvious ear to bend?"

Titan's face took on a shy expression, "Sir, I was wondering if there was a way, a potion, to make those memories of that night go away?"

H stared at her intently, trying to really see her, he shook his head sadly, "I will not give you anything to make you forget," at her protest, he held up a hand, "I will however, brew you a relaxing tonic that will make sleep dreamless for you," he took a small bottle from the shelf nearest him, "Here, this will be enough to see you through until I can get another batch brewed. Three drops into a glass of water ought to do it."

Snape crossed to her and pulled her to her feet, pressing the bottle into her hand, he patted her on the top of the head as she thanked him profusely and he damn near launched her out the door, closing it in her face as she turned to thank him again. Severus leaned his back against the closed door, he would help the girl with what he could. It pained him to know that Lily's daughter suffered from her mother's memory, but at the same time, he barked a laugh that James' best friend had managed to upstage him.

Titan walked back towards the Griffindor Tower, she felt a massive headache coming on, and she desperately wanted to sleep. Clutching the bottle tightly in her hands against her heart, she thanked the Fates for people like Severus Snape.

**(A/N : I took some minor liberties (as will continue in the future) with Severus' personality behind closed doors, as no one REALLY knows how he behaves when one on one with someone he DOESN'T hate. Hope he's not TOO OOC for your tastes. If he is, just let me know, nicely, please..no flaming...)**


	7. Halloween

The next Defense Against the Dark Arts class proved more interesting than the last. As soon as all the students had walked in the door, Moody announced that he was going to put them all under the Imperius Curse, one at a time, of course, to teach them how to throw it off. Titan, having fought the curse violently, and rather vocally(she had screamed things that made Ron's ears redden severely), stood with her hands clasped in front of her as she watched Harry fight off the curse successfully. Only when Moody was done testing Harry did she exhale.

One week later, on October the 30th, at six o'clock, all the students were gathered in front of the castle to greet the foreign students that would grace their presence for the rest of the school year. Harry scanned the crowd for Titan, he had yet to tell her that he'd heard from Sirius, twice. He found her, standing with Fred and George, who were silently laughing at the faces she was making in their direction. Harry squeezed and pushed his way through the crowd until he was next to her.

He tapped her shoulder, "Titan, I have news from you know who."

Titan's face spun around to face him, her eyes wide, "From...? Oh, _HIM_," she quickly masked her eyes, "And? What is this splendid news you bring from my father?"

Harry's face tensed slightly, "He's back in the country."

Titan nodded before turning her face to the sky, "Look!"

Harry turned and saw a most gigantic carriage come flying at the students gathered below. Bouncing to a halt, the carriage door opened, and the delegates from Beauxbatons emerged and were hurried up the castle steps after their enormous headmistress, Madame Maxime. The Howarts students were no less impressed with the entrance of the students from Durmstrang.

The Welcoming Feast was as excellent as any other feast held at Howarts, with French and Bulgarian dishes added to the menu. Finally, when everyone had sated their appetites, Dumbledore stood. He introduced Bartemius Crouch and Ludo Bagman as the fourth and fifth judges for the Triwizard Tournament and instructed those students that wished to submit their names that they had exactly twenty-four hours to do so, and then sent them to bed.

Saturday was rather dull for Titan, with the exception of getting to tug on Fred and George's identical beards and laughing as she ran from them while they chased her down the corridor. After this incident, she sat in an overstuffed chair in the Griffindor common room,with her nose in a book. She intentionally avoided the Great Hall for dinner, she had no desire to see the choosing of the champions, it wasn't that she didn't care, she just didn't want to be down there.

The next thing Titan knew, Fred and George were in her face, panting as though they had run for their lives. George spoke first, "Have you heard?"

Titan looked up at them, with barely an inkling of curiosity shining in her eyes, "Who's the Hogwarts champion?"

Several thoughts crossed George's face before he answered her, "Cedric Diggory."

She snorted in disgust, "The Goblet picked that prat?" she turned and looked at Fred for confirmation.

He nodded before he added, "And Harry."

Titan gasped and stood up so abruptly that her book flew off her lap and went flying into the fire.

In hurried tones the told her all they knew, that Harry's name had flown out of the Goblet last and he had been ushered into the antechamber with all of the other champions. Dumbledore hadn't seemed angry, and they couldn't tell her whether or not the judges would let him compete because of his age. When they finished, she nodded, killing the haunted and contemplative look in her eyes.

Titan stared for a moment at the book being caressed by the flames in the fireplace before she summoned another one and calmly sat down to read it.

The Gryffindor celebration seemed as if it would never end, Titan was on the verge of hexing or cursing everyone in the common room, just to shut them up. She sat, looking at the open book in her hands without reading it. She should tell Harry soon. It was amazing, just a few weeks ago, she had hated him with every fiber of her being, and now, she was contemplating sharing her secret with him. But what would he think? Would he hate her for keeping quiet this long? Would he be happy that he wasn't alone? Would he even believe her that, Lily, no matter how others painted her, wasn't really perfect?

She'd had these thoughts churning through her brain since she'd had that talk with Snape. She didn't know what she'd do if she didn't have that tonic to keep her from dreaming. She'd probably be far beyond mental at this point. With a sharp nod of her head, she stood, she would tell Harry the truth about her birth and her relationship with him the next chance she had. But for now, she was going to go to bed.

Titan stretched and looked around for one of the twins to let them know she was going upstairs. She saw both of them, with Angelina and Alicia, walking over, she realized that Fred, Angelina and Alicia were all trying to get the attention of George, who was daydreaming.

"Watch out, coming through," Titan nudged past Alicia.

_SMACK!_ Titan's hand found it's mark on George's cheek and he looked up at her, a bewildered look on his face, "Titan? Why did you just hit me?"

She sighed as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "Because no one else could get you to respond to them. Anyways, I'm off to bed."

Fred watched as Titan disappeared from the room, "Now, why didn't I think of that?"

Sunday morning, after breakfast, Titan was cornered by Professor Snape, literally. He had sought her out and found her sitting in a corner on the floor, reading. He stepped close to where she sat, his shadow falling over her and blocking out her light. The intent tense look on his face when she looked up into it made her gasp. Had she done something wrong? If so, what had it been?

Calmly, Titan stood, "Yes, Professor?"

Snape's left eye twitched lightly as he watched her rise, "Come with me, Black."

Titan had just picked up her bag and was following Snape wherever he was leading her when Draco Malfoy passed. "Ooooh!" he practically sang with glee, "Look who's in trouble! Undoubtedly for keeping company with blood traitors."

Draco turned a smug and approving look on his Head of House, and never saw Titan's attack coming. At Draco's yelp of pain, Snape whirled around, only to find Titan still directly behind him. He glanced from her to Draco, who seemed to have seen the devil himself. Snape spun himself back around, motioning for Titan to continue following him.

Titan spun around and walked backwards, her eyes twinkling darkly as the rested on Draco, "Be a good little ferret, now!" she called before resuming her forward walking.

When they reached his office, Snape bade Titan sit down. As she did so, he pulled a chair up across from her.

Titan shifted in her chair uncomfortably, wondering rapidly what she had done and how she could remedy it.

Snape folded his hands in his lap, "Are you feeling better since you've been using the tonic?"

Titan was shocked that he would drag her all the way down here for a cozy midmorning chit chat, "Very much so, Professor. It's so much easier to concentrate on my studies since I'm not falling asleep all the time now. Thank you so much!"

Snape nodded, his heart trying to make him smile at her before his brain overtook it and recomposed his face into a stone wall, "And your thoughts on Potter after a few good night's rest?"

Titan leaned forward a little, crossing her legs, "I've decided that I want to acknowledge him as my brother, I feel ridiculous and ashamed of how I viewed him before. It was infantile, the last time I'd been in close contact with him, I'd been near three. I suppose my anger was that of a three year old whose mother was dead and father hadn't bothered to try and find her. My feelings toward my brother may have changed, however, ask me about my feelings toward my father, and you'll find that I may never change my views."

Snape sat and stared into her face in amazement. He generally knew a lot about his students, their family, their history. But he had never known so much as a parent or guardian name when it had come to Titan. She had dealt with so much pain at a young age. Potter had too, of course, but Potter had only dealt with the deaths of his parents and the blunt hatred of his relatives. Whereas Titan had actually been left to fend for herself, one parent dead, one too lazy to care. Severus could tell when he looked into Titan's eyes that she wholeheartedly believed that Sirius had abandoned her. No doubt he had.

Titan hoped she hadn't said too much, "Professor, I'm sorry if I bored you."

He shook his head, "No, it's quite alright, Titan. I've never heard you say so much and not be yelling or answering a question in class. Not a bad thing, mind you," he added when he saw her face fall a little, "It's just different."

A few moments of semi-awkward, semi-content silence passed between them before Snape stood and walked to his desk. He picked up a bottle similar to the one he'd given her, "I've brewed another batch of the tonic, when you run out, just bring me the empty bottle, alright?"

Titan nodded in agreement as he walked back and handed the bottle to her, "Thank you so much, Professor Snape. I'm sure that the Da- Fates will look upon you with favor," she gave a meek bow and damn near scurried out of the room.

As Titan hurried down the hall, she scolded herself for being so open with him. What the hell was wrong with her? He was a teacher that was being kind to a student that was being plagued by nightmares of her dead mother and stepfather. There. Strictly platonic.

Severus sat at his desk, resting his chin on his hands. What was it that she had almost let slip? This student of his was an enigma. An enigma that he intended to solve.


	8. Happy Birthday, Titan!

The next morning, Titan came down to the common room to find Fred, George, Lee, Alicia, Angelina, and Katie all waiting for her. When her feet touched the floor, they erupted into a raucous applause, scaring several bleary eyed first years.

Titan looked around at them all, utterly confused, "What the hell are you lot doing?"

"Titan, what's today?" Fred asked, a smile playing on his lips.

Titan thought hard for a moment, "Monday?" she shrugged.

Fred sighed in an overly exasperated manner, "It's November the second! What is the most important thing on November the second?"

Titan's face distorted in disgust, "Oh, that."

Fred walked to her and put an arm around her, "Come on, baby! It's your birthday, you could at least smile."

Titan grimaced before she sighed in resignation, "Fine, but if you sing, I'll curse you into eternity."

Lee grinned, "Whoa, you hear that, Fred? She skipped 'hexing'!" he mock sniffed, "Our little girl is all grown up," he added as he handed a package to Titan, "Happy Birthday, Titan."

Titan smiled at the gifts lying on her bed that she had received. There was a rather large amount of candy and joke shop paraphernalia from Lee, what suspiciously looked like a love potion from Katie, a set of eagle feather quills from Alicia, a pet rock from Angelina which was attached to an IOU, and a sweater and some pies from Mr. And Mrs. Weasley. But the best one of all was what Fred and George had gotten her. The stone pensive sat on her nightstand, and she planned on using it tonight.

Just as Titan and her escort had settled themselves at the table for breakfast, an enormous shadow passed over them. Titan looked up, "Good morning, Hagrid," she smiled at the giant warmly.

Hagrid beamed right back at her, "An' a Happy Bir'day to ye, Titan!" he set something on the table in front of her, "Tha's from me an' Fang. And the skrewts, o' course!"

Titan gingerly opened the slightly smushed box to find a likewise smushed cake inside, "Wow Hagrid! Did you make this all by yourself?" when he nodded proudly, she looked down at it, "But, how long ago? It looks moldy..."

"Tha's not mold!" he chuckled loudly, "Tha's th' icin'! My specialty!" he patted her head in what he assumed was a gentle manner(Titan's neck and head screamed in protest), "Well, I got ter go an' talk ter, Professor Sprout abou' them plants fer the creatures. I'll see you lot later."

As Titan dipped her finger into the frosting, Angelina gasped, "Are you sure it's safe to eat it?"

She popped her icing covered finger into her mouth and scrunched up her face for a moment, beofre giving them all a thumbs up, "Tastes like cake. We're good, dig in!"

Titan had just taken an actual bite of cake when a voice behind her sounded, "Excuse me?" she quickly swallowed and turned to see who was speaking to her. A male Durmstrang student had perched himself next to her on the bench, his dark shoulder length hair was pulled into a tail, but his bangs fell into his eyes. Titan smiled at him, "Yes?"

He smiled back at her, leaning towards her, "I vos vondering, if I heard that Professor correctly. Is today your birthday?"

Titan nodded, intrigued. What did it matter to him? "Yes, it is."

"Ah, vell then, that settles it," he pulled a quill out of his bag and transfigured it into a white rose with silver tips. He took her hand as he handed the rose to her, "A beautiful rose, for the beautiful birthday mistress," he bowed over her hand and kissed it before he clicked his heels in salute to her, and left.

Angelina looked from Titan to the retreating back of the foreigner, to Fred, then back to Titan, "Looks like Fred's got some competition, and you've got a secret admirer."

Titan looked back at Angelina, a slight blush apparent on her cheeks, "I do not. Besides, he came over, it's hardly a secret now, is it?"

Angelina shook her head, "Of course it is. You don't know his name do you?"

Titan didn't have to answer as the morning post came and a large brown owl landed in front of her, a rather bulky letter clutched in it's beak. Titan's eyes widened in shock, this bird was Achilles, the owl that Flora had given her when she'd been suspended. Gingerly, she took the letter from the owl, ruffling a few of his feathers affectionately before tucking the letter into her bag. She'd read it later when there weren't so many prying eyes.

The rest of the day passed without much more commotion,unless of course, one would count Dumbledore cornering Titan at lunch to give her a pair of bright purple thick woolen socks.

Harry plopped himself down next to Titan at dinner, a permanent frown plastered on his face as he dug into his chops. Titan sat and watched him for a couple of moments before she poked him with the dangerous end of her fork.

Harry started and almost fell to the floor, "What the hell was that for?"

Titan shrugged, "I was just trying to get your attention. What's the matter, you look like someone just ate your cat," she smiled at him gently, "In front of you."

Harry shook his head and managed a weak smile, "I'm just getting hassled a lot lately about this whole Tournament thing. I didn't put my name in that goblet!"

Titan nodded her head reassuringly, "I know you didn't. You'd have to be a nutter to want to enter this competition at only fourteen."

Harry slammed his fist on the table, "See! You believe me! You, who I haven't known that long, believe me. But Ron doesn't."

Titan patted his head reassuringly, "It's okay. He'll come around, trust me, they always do. Just holod your head high, Harry, and try your best to ignore them _and_ their badges."

Harry nodded, "I'll try my best, Titan.," she began to rise from the table and he almost panicked, "Where are you going?"

She smiled as she picked up her bag, "To bed. I have a letter to respond to, and then I need to sleep. Good night, Harry."

Once safely inside the common room and alone, Titan sprawled herself out into a chair in front of the fire, she quickly rummaged in her bag for the letter and pulled it out, shredding the envelope. There were three pieces of parchment, all letters from her house mates. As she opened the first one to read it, a braided leather necklace fell into her lap. It was adorned with a silver pendant in the shape of a dog print. She flattened the letter to read it.

_Titan,_

_I found this at the house in Godric's Hollow, it undoubtedly belonged to your father. I've repaired it in hopes that you will wear it to honor him. Happy sixteenth!_

_Your friend,_

_Wormtail_

'Friend'?! What the hell was that snivelling bastard on about? Titan crumpled the letter and threw it into the fire. She fastened the leather about her neck. It fit a bit snug, like a choker, but it would loosen up slightly with constant wear. She unfolded the second letter and smoothed it out.

_Dear Little One,_

_I guess I shouldn't call you that anymore, should I? I wanted to save my present to you until next year, but decided against it. This ring belonged to my son before he died and I've decided to bestow it upon you. Enjoy the day, dear._

_Happy birthday,_

_Flora_

Titan untied the ring from the string that secured it to the paper and slipped it on her right ring finger. Much to her surprise it fit very well, and didn't fly off when she waved her arms wildly. She opened the last letter and her heart sank.

_Titan,_

_I need you to keep me informed of how the Tournament is going. Keep an eye on Karakoff and Moody. Report to me if their behavior changes in any way._

_Master_

Titan sighed as she tossed the master's letter into the fire. She had known better than to expect a 'Happy Birthday' from him. As she walked up the stairs to bed, a thought struck her. The master had planted Moody at Hogwarts. It was the Quirrell situation all over again. Titan only hoped that this time she didn't have to sneak around because she was out of the loop. And she really had no heart to attack Professor Snape again.


	9. Missed Opportunity

(A/N: Hey all! So sorry for the lapse! I had one paragraph of this chapter done before I lost my Potter MoJo. (this is shortly after Colie88 moved and lost internets) And then my grandmother passed away on Thanksgiving. And then my computer got stupid and I couldn't figure out what was wrong and eventually, (just this past week) I gave up and just reinstalled the operating system. I apologize if this chapter is a bit jumbled and/or crappy – I'm trying to get back into the swing of this. ((Please try to refrain from eating me)) Thanks for reading! -KyoMae-)

The morning of the Saturday before the first task, Titan found herself being drug into Hogsmeade by Fred and George. Before breakfast, she had said that she was going to snuggle in a chair in front of the fireplace in the common room all day and read a book. This resulted in them practically kidnapping her from the Great Hall and threatening to toss her into the lake if she didn't join them.

At around midday, Titan and George sat at a table in the Three Broomsticks while Fred purchased their drinks. George placed his hand gently on hers, "I'm sorry we dragged you out today."

Titan shrugged and pulled her hand away, "Don't worry about it, there'll be plenty of time to read later, right?"

George shifted his chair a little closer to her, "Is everything alright? I mean besides the obvious things that aren't."

Titan opened her mouth to say something but snapped it shut again as Fred brought back their drinks and Lee Jordan and Ron joined them. She glanced around the room and upon spotting Hermione sitting all by herself, Titan pushed herself away from her present table and went to join her. Placing her hand on the back of the chair to Hermione's left, Titan leaned in toward her ear, "May I join you?"

Hermione's head snapped up, "Um, yes, but could you please sit on my other side?"

Titan's eyebrow raised as she pulled out the indicated chair, "What's the matter, that seat taken?"

Hermione cleared her throat, "Yes, well, kind of. Wait, what do you want?" She turned her discomfort into a glare.

Titan looked at her thoughtfully, "You don't like me, do you?"

Hermione's back stiffened, "Why would I like someone as arrogant and self-serving as you? You're insulting, you have no respect for Harry or anyone around you. Personally, I cannot discern what it is that Fred sees in you."

An amused expression crossed Titan's face, "I guess I see your point. And just between us girls, I don't know what he sees in me either. Anyways, I came over here because I want us to start over, Hermione," she shifted uneasily in her seat, "I wanted to apologize, and reintroduce myself. Hello. My name is Titanus James Black. Nice to meet you," Titan held her hand out.

Hermione looked at her speculatively for a moment before she grasped her hand, "Hello, Titan. My name is Hermione Granger. Apology accepted."

Titan grinned and leaned back after releasing Hermione's hand, "So, tell me, 'Mione, why're you sitting here all by your lonesome?"

Hermione's face drew at the shortening of her name before paling a bit, "Well, I-I just wanted to be by myself," she stammered, glancing at the chair to her left.

"It's okay, Hermione, you can tell her," Harry's disembodied voice came floating from it's depths and Titan nearly fell out of her's.

Hermione inhaled deeply before rushing into a blur of words, "I'm not really by myself, Titan. Harry's here next to me, as you obviously just heard. He's using his father's Invisibility Cloak, because he doesn't want to be seen by anyone. I think it's dreadful, really," she added, giving a pointed look at the chair, "He's really only hiding."

Titan nodded, "James' cloak, eh? Let the boy have his way right now, Hermione. I mean, come on, I'm sure you've heard the comments that follow him down the corridors. I've been where he is, well, not really, but I do know what it's like to have people talking about you everywhere you go. In my first year I literally stayed in bed for a week. It would have been nice to do what's he doing, sitting with friends and everyone ignoring you because they don't know you're there."

"Oh. Titan, can you meet me in the common room at one o'clock tonight?" Harry's voice floated to her from the chair.

Titan rested her chin on her hand as she nodded. Suddenly her face went pale as she glanced over to see Hagrid and Moody making their way through the crowd toward them. She stood abruptly, "I'd best be going. I'll see you, Hermione. Tell Harry I'll see him later," Titan stepped away from the table and practically scurried out the door and into the street.

That afternoon, when the students returned to the school, Titan snuggled herself into her blankets in bed to read and ended up drifting to sleep. When she woke, the sky outside was dark. She hoped she hadn't missed Harry as she jumped out of bed and hurried down the stairs to the common room. In the waning firelight Titan glimpsed a leg in too-small pajamas. She walked over and kicked the chair it dangled from.

"You mind if I sit?"

The person in the chair snorted, "If you want to."

Titan moved to the chair across from where she stood, as she sat, she noticed that the leg belonged to Ron. As she settled into the chair, Titan cocked her head to one side, "So, what're you doing awake at this hour?"

Ron snorted again, "What's it matter to you?"

Titan sighed gently, "Nothing, really. But let me pose this to you, and then I'll leave you alone: Has he ever lied to you, or left you out of the loop on something like this?"

Ron grumbled and tried to sink farther into his chair and Titan stood, shaking her head, "Goodnight, Ronald."

When she reached the girls dormitory, Titan found Hermione sitting up in bed, waiting for her, "Was Harry down there?"

Titan shook her head as she climbed back into bed, "No, I missed him. Whatever it was, it probably wasn't imperative that I be there. I'm sure he can tell me tomorrow."

The next morning, however, Titan did not feel the same way. After Harry told her that he had spoken with Sirius the night before, she grunted once in anger and stomped from the table. When Harry and Hermione went into the library to look up ways to get himself past the dragon, Titan was there, sitting by herself at a table strewn with piles of books.

Hermione huffed and stalked over to Titan, "Titan, we're really sorry you didn't get to talk to him."

Titan sighed and rubbed her forehead, "I know, I'm not mad at you guys, I know it's not your fault. I was just so close and I slipped up."

Hermione nodded as a curious expression crossed her face, "What are you looking up?"

Titan shrugged, "Nothing in particular, just trying to keep myself busy."

"Well, would you mind terribly helping us?" Harry asked as he stepped around Hermione.

"Come. Sit. Tell me what you need," Titan motioned to the seats next to her.

"Well," Hermione started in a hushed voice as she took the seat to Titan's left, "Harry has to get past a dragon for the first task. And-"

Titan cut her off, "Wait a minute, how do you know this?" she turned her eyes to Harry.

Harry shrugged slightly, "Hagrid had me meet him last night and he took me into the woods to show me. There are four of them, and there were about twenty handlers there too. Charlie Weasley was one of them."

Titan's jaw dropped, "Did you just say, Charlie Weasley?"


	10. The First Task

**((A/N:: **_**Italics = flashback**_**, okay?))**

Harry tilted his head to the side, "Of course I did. Why? Do you know him?"

Titan gave him a piercing look, "Do I know him? Of course, I know him! He's the-" she cut herself off as a blush began to tinge her cheeks. She cleared her throat and started again, "Yes, I know Charlie."

An amused glint crossed into Hermione's eyes as Titan cleared her throat again, "Sirius said that something simple would work, right Harry?"

Harry nodded as he pulled a book down off a stack, "Yes, but then _Ron_ interrupted and I didn't get to find out what."

Titan pulled two books down for herself, "Simple, eh? Well, let's get cracking!"

All three of them dug into the material before them, but after a few minutes, it was clear to Titan that her mind was refusing what she was reading when it strayed, yet again, to Charlie Weasley.

_Fred, George, Ron, Charlie, Bill, and Titan had decided that they would take a trip to the pond in the woods to escape the small house and the eyes of Molly Weasley. Titan traipsed along behind the boys, not really paying attention to what she was doing. Her main focus was to stay away from Molly so that she couldn't let slip about her suspension. After they reached the pond, Titan sat on a rock a few yards from the water's edge while the boys pulled off their shirts. _

_Bill turned to her, "Hey, Titan, aren't you going to swim?"_

_Titan shook her head, "Not today, I just kinda wanted to get out of the house."_

_Charlie stalked toward her, "Aw, come on, don't be such a girl," he picked her up off of the rock and started to carry her towards the water._

_Panic began to sink in as Titan realized what he was about to do, "No, Charlie, really. I just don't feel like swimming today. Please put me down. Please? Charlie, don't. Please."_

_Charlie just grinned at her and flung her into the water._

_The water pressed against her from all sides. Panic in full swing now, Titan exhaled sharply, only to inhale a lungful of water. She thought she saw something reach for her, and then she woke up. It was dark, but Titan was immediately able to tell that she was in a warm bed in the Weasley house. For a moment, she almost thought the whole mess had been a dream, until she tried to draw a deep breath and her pained coughing woke the person sleeping next to her._

"_Titan?" the voice that floated to her was all too familiar._

_Titan's eyes snapped open wide and she turned her head towards him, "Charlie? What the bloody hell is going on?" _

_Charlie chuckled lightly, "Feeling better, I see. Care to explain why you didn't tell any of us that you can't swim?"_

_Titan turned her eyes to stone, "I didn't think it was any of your business, nor did I think you'd be a brute and throw me in!" she hissed._

_Charlie snorted, "I really am sorry about that, if I'd known, it wouldn't have happened. Now," he paused as he grabbed her right arm and brought it out from under the blankets, "Care to explain this?"_

_He indicated the Dark Mark seared into her flesh and she gasped, "No, I'd really rather not!"_

_Titan wrenched her arm free and was half out of the bed before it happened. Charlie grabbed her arm and yanked Titan back into the bed before he rolled over on top of her and straddled her to keep her from moving. And, oh my god, he was naked. A furious blush crept up Titan's neck to her face as cool air touched her chest and she realized that she was too._

Oh, come on," Hermione huffed under her breath.

Titan looked up, "What?"

"Let's take some of these back to the common room," Hermione paused to look over her shoulder, "Before the fan club shows up. Honestly, can't he study on his ship?"

Titan turned a snort of laughter into a cough as she picked up a rather unsteady stack of books. She stepped around the table and bumped into a different one, dropping several books on someone's head.

"Ouch! Vhat did you do that for?" The boy that had given her the transfigured rose looked up at her, rubbing the top of his head.

"Eh? I'm sorry!" Titan set the rest of the stack down and gathered her books that had been strewn across the table by her clumsiness. She stopped when a hand circled her wrist.

The boy picked up the remaining books and stacked them neatly, "My name is Zdravko," he smiled as he held his hand out to her.

Titan took his hand, "Titan, and uh, thanks. For helping with the books. I'm sorry I dropped them on your head."

Zdravko's smile widened, "It vas vorth it."

"Right, well, I gotta be going," Titan pulled her hand away and picked up the books, which she practically threw on the librarian's desk before darting out the door.

Harry, Hermione, and Titan spent the rest of the day until supper flipping through books at a table in the common room, but none of them found anything. As they were leaving the Great Hall, Titan was cornered by Snape, "The Headmaster would like a word with you, Black. Follow me."

Titan shrugged at Harry and Hermione's quizzical looks as she turned and hurried after the Potions Master. Snape escorted her all the way into Dumbledore's office, "Wait here," he instructed her as he swept back out of the room.

As Titan sat in a chair facing the desk, she wondered what Dumbledore could want to discuss. She had barely begun to brainstorm when he came into the room, "Ah, Titan, I see Professor Snape found you," he settled himself into the chair behind the desk.

Titan nodded, "Yes, sir."

ledore leaned forward slightly, "So, how are you doing? Enjoying yourself?"

Titan tried to suppress a grin, "Shouldn't you be asking if I'm learning a lot, sir? But to answer your question, I'm finding school life to my liking."

Dumbledore smiled warmly, "So no problems, then?"

Titan shook her head, "No, sir."

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully, "Well, Titan, that's good to hear. You may leave, I just thought I'd check on you."

"Thank you, sir," Titan rose and exited, more confused than she had been before.

She went to bed early again, not really in the mood for more research. After changing into her pajamas, Titan sat on the edge of her bed, her right sleeve rolled up to her elbow, staring at the Dark Mark.

_Titan immediately started fighting, trying to get away from Charlie, but he simply pinned her arms above her head, "I suppose you're going to try and tell me that it's another thing that's none of my business, but I'm demanding an explanation on it."_

_Titan's face hardened as she glared at him, "I'll scream."_

_Charlie smiled, "Then everyone will know about your arm."_

_Titan sighed in resignation, "You're mean. If I tell you, do you promise not to say anything to _anyone_? I mean it, Charlie, nobody can know, alright?"_

_Charlie nodded, "I promise. But only if you tell me the truth, all of it."_

Of course, Titan thought as she rolled down her sleeve and crawled into bed, she hadn't _really_ told him the whole truth. She'd told him that she was being raised by a former Death Eater and that was how she had gotten the Mark. The only things she'd really left out were those that involved Voldemort, she even told him that she'd gotten suspended. They had talked for hours, and at the end of it, he had wholly promised to keep quiet about all of it. Titan was grateful to Charlie, he'd listened, made the conversation rather easy, although, now that she thought about it, it would have been easier if they had both been wearing clothes.

Nothing had actually happened between them, as Titan was too young to catch Charlie's interest, but that didn't mean he hadn't caught hers.

Monday morning Hermione and Titan were pruning their Flutterby Bushes in Herbology when Harry suddenly appeared next to them, startling Titan so much that she snipped off the wrong bit and almost hit Neville when her shears went flying.

"Hermione," he breathed, "I need to learn how to do a Summoning Charm by tomorrow morning."

That night, Titan sat in the common room with them to help Hermione teach Harry Summoning Charms. They took turns, when Hermione seemed to get slightly frustrated Titan stepped in.

"Come on, Harry, concentrate. It's just a quill, man." Titan pounded her hand on a table for emphasis.

Harry sighed, "I know, it's I just keep seeing this dragon charging at me."

Titan nodded, "I understand, but you'll never be able to get you broom out there tomorrow if you can't even get a quill from across the room. I've heard about your flying, and I have to agree that you'll need it against a dragon. I'd hate to see you get hurt."

Harry straightened, "Alright. Here goes."

At around two in the morning, Harry was able to summon everything he pointed his wand at, which included Neville's toad, Trevor. They cleaned up the common room, and before they headed to bed, Titan caught Harry in a hug, "Good luck tomorrow."

The first three champions faced their dragons, and then it was Harry's turn. Hermione and Titan watched as Harry cast the Summoning Charm, clutching each other's hands. They breathed a short sigh of relief when the Firebolt sped into view and Harry mounted it.

When Harry had captured his egg and was soaring over the crowd, victorious, Titan squished Hermione into a hug before yanking her by her hand out of the stands toward the first aid tent. Titan stopped abruptly and ushered Hermione closer to the tent, with an assurance that she would be along shortly, she had just seen someone wave at her.

"Charlie," Titan smiled as she closed the distance between them and hugged him, "How're you?"

Charlie grinned as he hugged her back, "I'm good. They let you back in, eh? Dumbledore must've overridden the Governors."

Titan shrugged, not failing to notice that Charlie hadn't let go of her yet, "I guess, I got a letter in August saying that he wanted to speak with me. And then he told me that I was allowed to come back this year."

Charlie nodded, his face pulled together in thought for a brief moment before he looked her in the eye, "Say, did you ever learn to swim?"

Titan paled and her eyes widened, "You mean after you tried to drown me? No."

Charlie glanced away for a moment, "Would you agree to let me teach you?"

Titan's whole body stiffened, "You, me, and water is not really a good combination, but I suppose I could grant my consent as long as you don't carelessly toss me in."

Charlie laughed, "Alright then, I promise."

On the way back to the castle, Titan briefly wondered when and how the hell Charlie was going to teach her how to swim if he was currently working in Romania. She hadn't realized that she was walking slowly until Harry and Ron caught up to her.

"Hey Titan," Harry called to her, grinning, "Thanks for your help! I know it took up a lot of your time."

Titan smiled back at him, slightly distracted, "Not a problem. After all, I'm your sister, it's my job."

Harry and Ron both stopped dead in their tracks as Titan continued walking.

"What did you just say?" Harry's incomprehension shone clearly on his face.

Titan stopped and half turned, "I said I'm your sister."

Harry shook his head and gave a nervous laugh, "Don't say it so calmly, I thought you were serious for a moment."

Titan tilted her head to one side, "But I am serious, Harry. I'm your biological half-sister."

Harry started forward again, "Come on, Titan, stop joking around."

Ron was rooted to the spot as he suddenly remembered something, "Um, Harry..."

Titan snorted in frustration, "There are many things I joke about, Potter, but blood is not one of them. Before Mum and James got married, My dad and her had what you could call an accidental one night stand, resulting in me."

Anger became evident in Harry's features, "Impossible."

Titan snorted, yet again, "Why? Because no one said anything before now? Let's see, Dumbledore knew that I would tell you in my own time. I had to practically beg Molly and Arthur to not say anything to you the last time I saw them, and they passed that on to the rest of the family."

Harry's head snapped around to Ron, and before he could say anything, Titan spoke again, "Oh, don't go thinking that he kept anything from you. He undoubtedly doesn't remember me well, I generally spent my time with Fred and George when I visited."

Temper in full swing now, Harry stepped closer to her, "You're lying! They wouldn't keep something like that from me!"

Titan simply shrugged as she turned and started to walk away, "Believe what you will, Harry. But before you make your mind up, you should ask around to see if I'm telling the truth."

The party was in full swing in the common room, and Titan sat on her bed, shaking. If Harry ended up hating her, would that make all she had to do easier? She started to pace in front of the window, she needed to visit Snape for more tonic, but she didn't want to go back down into the common room.

A tapping noise on the window made her jump. Titan spun around and opened the window expecting an owl, instead she saw something she would have never guessed.

"Charlie! Are you trying to scare me to death?" she gasped, clutching at her rapidly beating heart.

Charlie was on a broom, right outside the girls' dormitory window, "Care to have that swimming lesson now?"

Titan stared at him in awe, "You want to teach me how to swim, in the middle of November, in the dark? Are you nuts?"

Charlie grinned, "Yes, on all accounts. Are you going to come out here willingly, or am I going to have to drag you?"

Titan leaned out of the window slightly and looked down, "If I fall to my death, I'm coming back and making your life hell."

She reached one hand out to him to steady herself as she hoisted first one leg and then the other out the window so that she was sitting on the ledge.

Charlie let go of her hand and readjusted his position on the broom before he grasped her under her arms, "You ready? Grab my shoulders, and swing your leg over," Titan did as she was told, and soon found herself facing him on the broom, "See? And you didn't fall, not one tiny bit. Hang on," he took her legs one at a time and shifted her so she was on him, "That's better, now hold on tight."

Titan wrapped her arms around Charlie's neck as the wind rushed past her. It was a short ride, and once they reached the lake, Charlie hovered a few feet off the ground while Titan dismounted before landing.

Titan shivered lightly, "It's a tad chilly out here, you do know that, right?"

"You'll adjust to it. But I brought an extra cloak for you, and a couple blankets, too, just in case," Charlie kicked off his shoes, "So, why weren't you in the common room with the party? Not that I'm not glad, mind you, it's just that you used to be such a party animal," he started to remove his socks.

Titan shrugged, looking out over the water, "I told Harry that I'm his sister today," she sighed, "That conversation did not go well. He thought I was lying to him."

Charlie pulled his shirt up over his head, "Don't fret about it, Titan, he'll come round."

"I hope so," Titan turned to face him and found him unfastening his pants. Her jaw dropped, "Charlie! What are you doing!?"

Charlie stilled, "I'm removing my clothes so that they don't get wet? And before you start any crap about drying charms and all that, you're going to learn the muggle way, and besides, your clothes will just get in the way and weigh you down," his face suddenly exploded in a grin, "I'm not asking for your birthday suit, but if that's how you want it, that's fine with me. Been there, seen that."

Titan crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him as she started unbuttoning her vest. And it wasn't long before Charlie was leading Titan into the water by the hand. Forty five minutes later, they sat on the shore, snugly wrapped in the blankets as Charlie cradled Titan in his lap. He'd ended the lesson when after fifteen minutes in the water, she had been unable to stop shaking from fear.

They sat like that, in silence, for awhile longer, each lost in their own thoughts. Titan was about to suggest to Charlie that she get dressed and head back up to the castle when he took her face in his hands and kissed her.

Harry was having an issue pretending to be happy. All night, during the party, his thoughts kept straying to his conversation with Titan. Where did she get off telling him things like that? He'd questioned Ron, who said he only vaguely remembered her. On his way up to bed, with the other boys of his year, Harry resolved that he would ask around about Titan, but only so he could prove her wrong.

**((A/N:: I don't know if I have to explain this, but I will. The reason Charlie and Titan were naked is because Charlie couldn't get Titan to warm up and therefore decided to use his own body heat. He felt personally responsible for her condition. There was no boinky-boink intended – it was simply Charlie atoning for trying to drown her, he wouldn't even let Molly in. Another thing – Titan is six (6) years younger than Charlie. So she was thirteen and a half when it happened. At nineteen and a half, Charlie really had no non-platonic interest in Titan. (I know I'm probably beating a dead horse, I just want it understood that in NO WAY am I saying or insinuating that Charlie is even slightly pedophile-ish.) Parts of this were a bit punk-ish to write, since I have a brilliant knack for writing Harlequin-ish romance and I was SERIOUSLY trying not to. Anybody confused yet? As for the swimming thing...well..Titan is crazy(not crazy-loony, just crazy-will-do-just-about-anything), and she doesn't back down from a challenge – so, she went swimming, in the middle of November, in the dark. Any questions? Feel free to leave a comment, or send me a message. Thanx for reading! -KyoMae- ))**


	11. Realization and the Truth

It was close to five o'clock in the morning when Titan finished buttoning her vest. She was utterly confused about the events of the last few hours. Not confused about what had happened, she was confused about what she felt. She had always been attracted to Charlie, especially after he tried to drown her, which was odd. Gathered from her reading experiences Titan knew that she should now feel an exceptional emotional attachment to Charlie, but there wasn't one. Instead, she now felt as if she had never been attracted to him at all.

She needed to think on this more, "Hey, Charlie, I think I'll walk back up to the castle."

Charlie looked at her, puzzled, "Are you sure? I don't want you to get caught."

Titan smiled as she shrugged, "I'm sure. Besides, the girls are all probably in bed and if you drop me off at the window I _will_ get caught."

Charlie stared at her for a long minute before he hugged her, "Hey, Titan?"

"Yes, Charlie?"

Charlie's face flushed slightly, he wished he didn't have to ask her this, "Tonight, did you feel anything?"

Titan pulled away from the him to look into his eyes, "What do you mean? Like a spark?"

Charlie's eyes darted from hers, "Yea."

It took Titan less than a half of a heartbeat to answer, "No." Ouch. Had that come out cold?

Charlie tried to keep himself from sighing with relief, "Oh."

Titan began to panic. Was it bad that she hadn't felt anything? What if Charlie had? And was she breaking his heart with her honesty? She had to remain calm, "What about you?"

Charlie brought his eyes back to her face and sighed, "Nothing. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was great, but there just wasn't any-"

"Spark," Titan almost laughed the word, "I totally concur with you on that."

Charlie smiled, "Really? Oh, good," he frowned, "We're not going to get weird now, are we?"

Titan chuckled as she patted him on the head, "No, I don't think so, zero weirdness on my part anyway."

It was a few minutes later, as Titan was walking toward the castle, that two things hit her at once. The first, she had been foolish in her pursuit of Charlie, for it hadn't yielded any solid results. And the second stemmed from the first, she loved Charlie as if he were her older brother. Titan stopped walking and drew in a ragged breath. An older brother, and oh, stars, she'd slept with him. Titan doubled over and retched where she stood.

"Wow, Titan, you look terrible," Fred perched himself on the bench next to her, grinning.

Titan started, jumping up from the table and fleeing down it to sit in an empty space near a chattering group of first year girls. Harry, Hermione, and Ron seated themselves at the table just as Fred muttered, "Well that was odd."

"Fred, we need to talk," Harry said as he piled his plate with eggs, "About Titan."

Fred jerked his head around and began filling his plate as well, "What is it you'd like to know?"

"Is Titan really my sister?"

Fred and George glanced at each other as Hermione gasped and dropped her fork. Fred looked back at Harry, "Did she tell you this?"

Harry nodded solemnly, "Yes, she did."

The twins relaxed, and shrugged. George leaned around Fred, "Yes, Harry. Titan is your sister."

Harry glared at them, "Why didn't you say anything?"

Fred tilted his head to the side, "Because, she wanted to tell you herself. She didn't know if you'd accept her as family, so she asked us to keep it under wraps."

Harry bristled, "'Under wraps'? " He stood up, pounding his fist on the table and bellowing, "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!"

A squeak resounded from the end of the table as Titan jumped up and darted away in escape. She almost crashed into Zdravko in her haste to exit the Great Hall. Running blindly, Titan rounded a corner and shortly thereafter found herself falling. Squeezing her eyes shut, she braced herself for the coming impact with the stone floor, but her landing was slightly squishier than she expected. Startled, Titan opened her eyes to find herself perched upon Severus Snape. Her eyes widened in horror as she tried unsuccessfully to scramble off of him, "I'm sorry, Professor. I wasn't watching where I was going."

Snape's eyebrow raised as he appraised her, "That is obvious," he offered her his hand to help her gain her balance and extricate herself from him, "Are you due for more tonic?"

Titan nodded meekly as her second attempt to stand was met with success. She quickly pulled her hand from his and began picking up the spilled contents of her bag, "I'm really sorry, Professor," Titan spun on her heel and ran back up the stairs. She rushed past a group of students leaving the Great Hall and skidded to a stop at the bottom of the stairs leading to her first lesson upon seeing Harry leaning against the banister. Titan took a deep breath and feigned indifference as she walked past him and began to climb the stairs. Harry fell into step beside her, shooting covert glances in her direction. At the top of the stairs, he reached to grab her arm, but was stopped short as Fred grabbed her shoulders from behind and spun her around to plant a light kiss on her nose. Titan froze, gasped and ran off down the hall.

Harry spun and glared at a very confused Fred, "What was that all about?"

Fred looked at him, "I'm not sure. She's never done that before," he heaved a frustrated sigh before he turned and walked away.

Harry switched seats with Hermione in Transfiguration, he was going to get some answers from Titan. He lightly tapped her shoulder, "We need to talk."

Titan nodded, her face hard, "Caught on, have you?" She turned her head to look him in the face, "Or are you still in denial?"

Harry frowned, the anger came off of her in waves, "I want to apologize. I guess I treated you unfairly."

Titan snorted, "That's an understatement," she turned her head to look toward Mcgonagall's desk and then sighed, turning back, "I suppose I'm inclined to forgive you, though. Springing something like that on you. However," a slow grin spread across her face, "Your reaction was less than flattering."

Harry gave a nervous chuckle, "Shall we start over?" he held his hand out to her in recreation of the gesture she had made to Hermione, "Hello, I'm Harry Potter."

Titan's smile spread wider as she took Harry's hand, "Titanus James Black. Nice to meet you. I imagine I shall have to endure more tiring questions later," she gave a mock sigh.

Harry chuckled and then caught something she had said not only now, but before, "James?"

Titan nodded, "After your father."

Harry's sudden one-eighty over what she had told him made Titan's head spin. The Dark Lord was correct, the boy was downright gullible. And he was starting to annoy her. By dinner, he had asked her every question she could fathom, save for one, and she knew it was coming by the way he led into it.

Harry set his fork down on his plate, "Titan? There's something I don't quite understand," at Titan's slow nod, he continued, "If Dumbledore and everyone knew you existed, then why weren't you sent to the Dursley's with me? I mean, where have you been living all these years?"

Titan shook her head, "I'm not exactly sure of the circumstances of what happened that night, I was only three, after all. All I can offer you is my best guess, which is this: I somehow managed to end up in the care of a sick gentleman and his housekeeper. I assume that Dumbledore did not remove me from their care when I was found because I had grown attached to them," she shifted uncomfortably in her chair, "I will return there this summer, but if you would like me to visit you I will." _As long as I'm not needed elsewhere._

Harry nodded enthusiastically, "I'd like that. Oh, wait," his face fell, "Uncle Vernon..."

Titan chuckled, "The muggles won't be a problem, I'm sure of it."

Later that evening, Titan stomped her way to Snape's office, fuming. Question after question had been fired at her, and she was really starting to tire of the boy's nosiness. In just a few short hours, she'd talked about herself so much that she was now quite bored with the subject. Titan had just raised her hand to knock on Snape's door when it opened, startling her, "Hello, Professor."

Snape nodded his head curtly in greeting, "Hello, Black," he produced another small bottle and handed it to her, "Do you have a moment?"

Titan's hands closed around the bottle, "Not really, sir. I'm afraid I might fall asleep at any minute."

Snape nodded slowly, "Understandable. I'm sure anyone would be exhausted if they were out ambling across the grounds at five in the morning."


	12. Lies, Secrets, and Crushes

**((A/N:: Here, to celebrate my acceptance to college is chapter twelve! R&R please! Enjoy!))**

Titan's head snapped up and her gaze met his, "I'm not sure I know what you mean, sir."

Snape's eyebrow's drew together slightly, "I'm certain that you do know, Black."

Titan's head tilted to one side, her eyes wide and naturally innocent, "Really Professor, I haven't the faintest idea of what you're referring to."

Snape started and pulled himself back slightly, the power of her eyes was staggering. She may have Sirius' features, but her demeanor was beginning to remind him of her mother, and he wasn't sure if he approved of that.

Taking the opportunity of his dumbfounded expression, Titan bowed, murmuring her thanks for the tonic, and made a hasty retreat. Once in the safety of the dormitory, she began to shake. Snape knew, he didn't suspect, oh no, he _knew_. He was certain she'd been up to no good, and he was right. Titan shuddered at the thought of what her recklessness could have cost Charlie, and then she forced it from her mind as she droppered the tonic into her water and drank.

The next few days Titan spent avoiding everyone, she purposefully missed meals, darted in and out of classrooms, and spent every waking minute in the library. The only exceptions to this were when George dragged her down to the kitchens late at night, and her newly assigned detentions with Snape. The detentions had been assigned to her when she, not paying close attention to what she was doing, had tossed in the wrong ingredient and caused her cauldron to go awry in a Neville-like explosion.

So here Titan sat, stomach grumbling, cleaning baked-on frog spawn off of the floor with a rag and some foul-smelling chemical. She paused just long enough to scoop her hair up into a pair of pigtails to get it out of her way. She'd been working on this damn floor for three days now, and each day, the mess she found when she arrived got worse. Titan managed to dive back into her scrubbing just as the door opened and snapped shut again. She heard Snape breathe and then the soft thudding of his shoes on the floor as he inspected the work she'd done in the last thirty minutes.

Snape entered the room and was surprised to find that half of the floor had been scrubbed spotless already, he sucked in a breath at the determined expression on Titan's face, and strode over to her, "Unable to resist the temptation, Black?"

Titan paused her scrubbing and lifted her face to look at him, her eyes shining with innocence again. Licking her lips, she tilted her head, "What temptation, Professor?"

For several short moments, all Snape could do was stare at her in awe. His thoughts derailed from the topic at hand and he was hit with a crushing wave of confusion. Mentally shaking himself, he croaked, "The floor. You used magic didn't you?" He let his voice turn harder, "I believe I instructed you to use your hands only."

Titan sat up, "But I did use my hands, Professor. The only thing I've used is this smelly old rag and this icky concoction in this bucket," she allowed herself a slight whine and a pout to her bottom lip. Where the hell had the airhead urge come from? She was tired, that had to be it, there was no way that she would act like this while completely coherent. Or maybe it was the fumes from the cleaning agent? She had used three times the normal amount. Titan held out her hands in his direction as she pouted a bit more, "It's made my hands all chapped and bloody, and they hurt."

Snape closed his eyes and heaved a sigh that was almost a growl, "It's late Titan, your detention is done. I shall see you in class," he practically ran for the door, and did not breathe a sigh of relief, even after he had shut himself in his quarters.

On Thursday Titan found herself in absolute shock as Professor Mcgonagall explained about the Yule Ball. She spent the next week in utter terror, dodging Fred, and sometimes even George. She knew that Fred wanted to ask her, but she wasn't sure about that since she felt she'd betrayed him by sleeping with Charlie. What was she going to do? Go home, or stay here and hide in a far corner of the dungeon? It was eight days after Mcgonagall's announcement that Titan got her answer while sitting in the library.

She was sitting at a table, books strewn across it as she pilfered through them with no real intent except distraction. A shadow fell across the open book in front of her and she started as she looked up, ready to dart for fear that Fred had found her. The smile that met her eyes was not one she would have expected to see in a thousand years, and her face lit up in response, "Zdravko. How nice it is to see you. Why don't you sit?"

Zdravko obliged her, his smile growing warmer, "I'm glad I have found you. I vas vorried that day you ran from the Hall," he was stalling and she knew it. Titan was almost certain of what he wanted to say before he said it, "Titan, I vas vondering if you vould accompany me to the Ball?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Titan saw Fred enter the library and spot her. And in that instant, her decision was made, "Of course I will," the smile that spread across her face oddly did not feel as fake as she thought it would have. She glanced up at the window and saw sunlight streaming in, and Fred still intent on reaching her, although Angelina had just stopped him and was hurriedly whispering to him.

Titan turned her head back toward Zdravko, "Could you do me a favor?"

Zdravko looked slightly taken aback, "Yes. Vhat is it you need?"

Titan smiled at him a bit sheepishly, obviously flirting, "Could you help me take these to the librarian's desk? And then come walk with me on the grounds?"

Zdravko practically leaped from his chair as he began gathering the books, "Of course!"

They carried the books to the desk, Zdravko only allowing Titan to carry three of the volumes. She managed to refrain from looking at Fred as they passed him or sneaking a glance as they left the library, arm in arm. If she had looked, she would have noticed the murderous expression that clung to his features.

**((A/N:: So! Here we are again! I think people are getting bored with this, which sux. I've had a lack of Potter Mojo and I've been watching Repo! The Genetic Opera about twenty times a day because that's the only movie my daughter doesn't scream at (and I like it too). I've had this chapter written this way for a few days and I intended to add stuff to it, but decided it's better left like this. Review please! Let's me know what yer thinking!))**


	13. The Yule Ball

Fred could not believe his eyes. He stood in the Great Hall watching as Titan was whirled around by that bloody Bulgarian. That _foreigner_ was the reason she'd been avoiding him for almost a month now. His teeth ground together as he watched them. At first he'd thought that Titan just hadn't wanted a part of this, that maybe that day in the library had been her just being friendly, and that she hadn't seen him. Five minutes into this stupid Ball told him exactly how _friendly_ they were. Fred wasn't exactly angry with her. Hurt was more what filled him when he looked at her tonight. The Bulgarian, however, that was another story. How dare he move in on HIS woman. Everyone in the school knew Titan was off limits, though no one would actually let her know that. Sighing he looked for his date, Angelina. The only reason he had even asked the Quidditch chaser was because Titan had been nowhere to be found. However, that had changed when he'd seen Titan with _him_, and he'd been as close as possible to her all night in an attempt to make Titan jealous. But it had backfired, she hadn't paid him any attention at all.

Fred spotted Angelina, and he struggled to make his way over to her. When he reached her, he smiled warmly, not really hearing-or caring what it was she had said. The truth was, hurt or not, he was bored without Titan. Angelina turned away from him, and his thoughts lingered on making a dash for the exit, but suddenly, he could see his jealousy plan's redemption. Titan stood, approximately thirty feet away, and she was watching him, though she tried to make it look as if she wasn't.

Fred lightly grasped his date's arm, "Hey, Angelina?"

Angelina spun back to face him, "Yes?"

"I'm kind've tired, and I think I'll turn in. Thank you for a lovely evening."

She watched in horror as Fred leaned in and kissed Angelina on the cheek. That was it, she'd had it, this ball was pointless and she was going to bed. Now. Titan turned from the refreshment table and looked toward where Zdravko was conversing with Viktor and Hermione before she spun on her heel and walked out of the Great Hall.

Zdravko looked back to where Titan had been standing when Viktor had called him over only to see her disappear out the door. He excused himself from the conversation and followed her. When he came into the Entrance Hall he found Titan leaning against a wall with her eyes closed.

Zdravko walked to her and placed his hand against her cheek, "Is something the matter?"

Titan opened her eyes and gave him a week smile, "No. I'm just incredibly tired. I don't do so well around large crowds," she leaned her head against his hand.

Zdravko grasped one of her hands in his as he stroked her cheek with his thumb, "Vould you like to take a valk vith me outside?"

Titan shook her head gently as she stood away from the wall, "I'm sorry, Zdravko. I'd really love to, but perhaps another time," she placed her free hand against the side of his neck.

Zdravko's face fell slightly, "Of course."

Out of the corner of her eye, Titan saw the door to the Great Hall open, and a flash of red hair appear. It took less than a half of a second for the decision to be made, Titan leaned in and pressed her lips to Zdravko's.

After a few moments, Titan pulled away from the kiss, to look at a very starry eyed Zdravko, "I really had a wonderful time tonight. Thank you."

Titan leaned in again and briefly kissed him again before she turned and headed towards the staircase.

Fred ran to catch up with her, grabbing her arm before she could reach the second step. "What the hell was that about, Titan?" Anger flashed in his eyes.

Titan squared her shoulders and stared him down, forcing her guilt to take a backseat. "I haven't the foggiest of what you're talking about, Fred." She turned, pulling her arm from him and began climbing the stairs again.

Sighing, he followed her. She could be so irritating at times. "You know damn well what I'm talking about," he said as they passed Mcgonagall on the stairs with a warning of "Watch your language, Mr. Weasley,"

She still did not lose her stiff composure, "I'm sorry, Fred. But I really have no idea what it is you're talking about. You'll have to be _very_ specific, as I'm afraid subtleties will be lost on me this evening."

"Oh, so you're playing the stupid act are you?" He frowned. "Fine, I'll be VERY specific. Your kiss with that _foreigner_!!"

Panic flooded her, but she bit it back. Stopping where she was, she turned to him, her eyes a hard steel, "What business is it of yours?"

He matched her hardened eyes with two of his own. "Business of mine? I'll tell you what fucking business of mine it is," he said moving closer to her. "It's my job to protect you from the likes of him and all the other bastards out there!" he snarled at her then side stepped her, giving the password to the portrait and entering the deserted common room.

Confusion scrawled itself across her face. Titan wasn't sure which of his statements had angered her more, his jab at Zdravko, or his jab at her apparent delicacy. Then it hit her, _his job_?! Anger flooded her senses and she yanked her dress robes up to her knees as she charged through the portrait hole after him. "You, protect me?! That's a laugh! And what _'bastards'_ are you so intent on?"

"Anyone who comes near you," he said simply as if it were obvious.

She snorted, "And just _how_ do you intend to _protect_ me from those that do _dare_ venture near?" Titan spat the words damn near sarcastically, despite her actual curiosity.

"Ha! You wouldn't see them for a long time, thats for damn sure!" Fred suddenly got a mischievous glint in his eye. "Maybe I should place that sour guy into that vanishing cabinet..." he muttered more for himself than Titan.

Titan made a strangled noise that sounded halfway between a snarl and a hysterical laugh, "I don't see how that would protect me, or even why I need protecting in the first place!" The idea was laughable, really, someone like Fred, protecting her, especially after all she'd done.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Is it so horrible that someone cares enough for you to even TRY and do so? Is it so damned hard to let someone CARE for you for once in your fucking life, Titan? Whether it works or not at least someone TRIED, showed that they cared enough." He stopped and then added. "But I forgot, the Queen of the Ice Bitches doesn't let anyone in!"

That had done it. For the first time since she'd met him, Titan wanted to hit him, more than that, she wanted to hurt him. Her mind flickered to the exact curse she'd use, all she had to do was say one little word, Cru-No. She growled, her face contorting in anger and she spun to turn her back to him. She couldn't. But she couldn't help but see it in her mind. Titan cringed at the image, "No." she whispered, "No."

"No what, Titan? No it isn't hard? If that's the case then why the hell won't you let me in? Why won't you let me love you?" He asked, his voice going quieter towards the end.

Titan placed a hand against her forehead and sighed, "That's not the issue, Fred."

"Obviously it is," he told her. "What is so hard about loving someone?"

She turned back to face him, "Loving someone isn't the issue, Fred. I'm avoiding the issue because I am more than sure that it will result in a fight between us," Titan's brow puckered as she fought with herself, "And I'm not so sure I could stand that to happen."

"We're fighting now. I highly doubt that whatever you're trying to avoid could be worse than this," he told her waving a hand. "Just get it in the open and then we can see."

Titan cringed at his apparent nonchalance and then straightened and became business-like. "Alright. On the night after the first task, I slept with your brother." She braced herself mentally for his explosion.

"YOU WHAT?!?!? I'M GOING TO KILL HIM.. MOTHER FUCKING BASTARD! HE KNEW YOU..DAMN IT...!!" He spun around and headed for the door before turning back around to face her. "No.. I won't." he was hit with a wave of jealousy toward his brother that he had never known. "I'll be better.. I can and will be better in bed than he is. I can guarantee it," he told her, running a hand through his hair.

She jumped at his sudden outburst, he had no idea which brother it was and he was ready to do war over her? Wow. Titan took an instinctive step towards him, "Fred. I'm sorry. It just sort of happened. He tried to teach me how to swim, and then, well, " she was finding this difficult, not knowing the right words to nullify him. She blinked, "You _guarantee_ it? How...?"

"Because I know George, thats how. Besides, I have a few tricks of my own," he smirked in spite of the situation.

Titan blinked again, "George? What does George have to do with this?"

"You.. you didn't sleep with George?" He asked, confusion on his face. "Then what exactly are you sorry for if not for sleeping with him?"

Titan sucked in a hissing breath, "Fred, it was Charlie. Not George." She cringed slightly, waiting for a second explosion.

He stood there thoroughly shocked. Charlie?? But how..? He wasn't sure what to do. He wanted to yell, go bounding off to kill Charlie, resurrect him and do it again. But instead, he was rooted to the spot in shock. "Charlie?" he managed to get out of his mouth.

Titan nodded slowly, more than a little concerned by his lack of apparent anger. He was supposed to be yelling, cussing, anything and everything except standing there looking like he'd been kicked in the gut. She unconsciously took another step toward him. "Fred, I'm so sorry."

"I- don't know what to..what to say. But it wasn't your fault. I blame him... fully. He knew..." he stopped shaking his head. "I blame HIM" he emphasized.

She took another step, bringing her within a two foot distance, "Don't. Please." Titan wasn't sure of what she would do if the family was split apart because of her.

"Don't blame him?" he asked her frowning.

"Please. It was a mistake. We both know that. I can absolutely promise to you that it will never happen again, nor will anything even slightly akin to it." Titan wanted so much to reach out and pull him to her.

He nodded, sighing. "Alright. For you I won't. Can I at least have a hug?"

She was taken slightly aback by his sudden change in mood, "Um, alright." Titan stepped toward him and wrapped her arms around him, still confused. "Better?"

"Much. Now I can certainly forgive him because I have you in my arms," he told her.

Titan felt panic start to take hold, and she gripped him tighter. Fred was forgiving her too easily. He was most surely angry with her. Why didn't he let it out? The panic caused her breath to hitch.

Fred heard the change in her breathing and pulled away. "You alright, Titan?"

She eyed him warily, "I know you're angry, you have to be. I'm just waiting for your punishment."

"You're right.. I am. But don't you think we have argued enough tonight as it is?" he asked her.

Titan touched a hand to his face gingerly, "I'd really rather you got it all out of your system now. Unless you want me to go back to avoiding you?"

"No no.. but what would you like me to?" he asked her. "Do you want me to threaten to rip his throat out? Or maybe tell him off in a letter? What is it that you want me to do exactly?"

Titan's eyes widened innocently, Fred had never been this blood thirsty before, "I didn't mean your anger at _him_, Fred."

"At you? Honestly, I am more pissed at him than I am you. I mean.. Yes you have self control and whatnot, but he is older than you.. by I believe five years. And it's just... I don't know..." he broke away and paced.

Titan winced when he pulled away from her, "Six years, not that that helps. Tell me what I can do." She was utterly unsure of how this situation should be playing out, but she knew there should be more noise than this.

"I just.. I need some time. Time to get used to the idea that someone had you before I got the chance and that that someone was my brother. Just...time...that's all. " He didn't want to yell at her. He could tell she was slightly terrified by how he had reacted when he thought it was George...he wouldn't do that to her again.

Titan cocked her head, slowly returning to her usual self, "Fred, would it help if I informed you that your brother was not my first?"

"Yes, it would actually. Then I wouldn't have to bother with that aspect of it. But is that the truth?"

Titan nodded, slightly offended, "Yes. It's the truth. He was a muggle. Named..Preston? I believe."

Fred nodded. "That does help, a bit," he answered her.

Titan tilted her head again, "Anything else?"

"Time, Titan.. time. That's the only thing I need right now."

Titan nodded and turned from him shrugging, "Well, alright. If you're sure that's all, I'll go back downstairs and see if I can find Zdravko. Maybe go for that walk..." She started towards the portrait hole.

Fred stopped her, spun her around and pulled her to him, before wrapping his arms around her. "Oh, no you don't. You are going to stay right here with me," he told her, staring into her eyes.

Her eyebrow raised, "Really? And besides the promise of your radiant company, what is going to keep me here?"

"I'll bet you twenty five galleons that I can do it better than he can. Will that get you to stay?" he asked her, watching for a reaction...a smirk...something. He didn't want her to go back to that frightened, skittish creature she'd been moments before. Seeing her that way had made him ache with guilt. Knowing he'd made her look that way made him feel ugly.

Her lips twitched as she tried to refrain from smiling. "I thought you needed time?"

"I'm over it." he said quickly. " Again....I'll bet...thirty galleons this time, that I can do it better than he can!"

Titan considered for a moment, "Are we talking just 'it' or the whole shebang? Kissing, etc.?"

"The whole thing," he would not be upstaged by his own brother, no matter what the age difference.

She held out her hand, a smile playing on her lips, "Fred Weasley, you've got yourself a bet."

He grinned and shook her hand. "When should we test this bet?" he asked, raising his eyes at her.

"Whenever you're up for it."

"Now would be a good time," he stopped shaking her hand and stared at her, "Unless you'd rather the entire dormitory hear your screams of pleasure?" he smirked.

Titan leaned towards him slightly and took his chin between her forefinger and thumb, "You _will_ scream with me."

"Men don't scream. We yell," he told her, a defiant smile on his face.

She retained the firm grip on his chin as she stared him in the eyes, "Don't be so sure about that."

And suddenly, he wasn't. Her words and the dark glint in her eyes struck a chord in him that said teasing her beyond this was overkill. He stared back at her, almost hypnotized.

Titan smirked just before she closed the distance between them and took his mouth with hers.

**((A/N: Thanks aplenty to Colie88 for helping me with this chapter! (I know you were starting to get tired, but yer KyoMae lurvs you! An you get cookies!) Any questions or comments, feel free to hit the 'Review' button. Thanks for reading!))**


	14. Lies and Whores

**(( A/N: # # # # = passage of time))**

Fred pulled her close, wrapping both arms around her waist. He'd been dreaming of this for almost four years. There was no way he was letting this chance slip through his fingers.

Titan released his chin and fisted her hand in his hair. Her other hand grasped his shoulder as she deepened the kiss, forcing his lips apart and thrusting her tongue into his mouth.

Fred, though surprised at the movement, did not back away. Obviously, she liked to take control. Forcing them apart, he raised an eye. "We gonna put a show on for the entire common room?" he asked her, raising an eye and smirking. _That_ would be an interesting experiment.

She smiled at him, "I'm sure it would be very educational, but I'm not feeling up to sharing." Titan stepped back slightly before holding her arm out, "Lead the way."

Fred watched her for a moment, then hooked her arm around his leading her, not to his dorm, but out into the corridor and down another hall before stopping in front of a blank wall. "Here we are," he announced.

She looked at the wall, and then at Fred, and back again. "And 'here' is...where, exactly?"

"Watch," he told her. He walked in front of the wall, three times and a door appeared. "This is our own private room..." he opened the door, revealing a very romantic bedroom, complete with a fireplace containing a roaring fire.

Titan walked to stand next to him and peered inside, "Well isn't that interesting?"

"Yeah, it is.. and it's all ours till we are finished with it." Fred told her walking in and pulling her behind him. He shut the door and faced her. "It's got everything we could possibly need,"

She shifted and looked around the room, "Hmm. Glorified broom cupboard...."

Fred laughed and moved closer to her. "Yes," he said as he tugged first one glove off her arm, then reached for the other elbow. "You're wearing too many clothes.." he told her, starting to reach for the zipper at her back.

Titan deftly spun away from him. He was _not not not_ removing her right glove. Suddenly, this bet did not seem like an intelligent idea. She took a few steps backwards, "I daresay I am wearing less than you." _Quit stalling, Black. _

Fred silently raised an eye. "Fine..." he shrugged out of his overcoat, tossing it carelessly onto the floor, then pulled off his shirt and tossed that aside as well. "There...I have two less than you.."

She quickly calculated, running her tongue over her teeth, "Actually, I'd say we're about even at the moment." Titan stepped toward him until she was right in front of him. She looked him in the eyes as she reached her ungloved hand out and gently laid it upon his chest.

He grasped her wrist with his hand, briefly noticing how small it was. His other hand snaked around her waist, pulling them flush against each other. "Not for long," he seized her mouth hungrily.

# # # #

Fred lay next to Titan, staring at the ceiling, still reeling from their explosive coupling. "Titan....I...you're amazing." he leaned over and kissed her.

Titan smiled at his compliment. "Yes I know." She rolled onto her left side and snuggled against him, tracing his jaw with her right hand.

He wrapped an arm around her, pressing her closer to his side. "Good. I should tell you that more often anyway," he gently kissed her forehead.

She raised her head slightly to look him in the eye, "Why's that?"

"Because it's the truth," he stated as if that solved it.

Titan laughed a little, "Yea, and you're full of shit." She shook her head and nestled against his chest again.

He ran a hand up and down her arm. "But you love it when I am..." He grinned at her, though she couldn't see it.

Titan snuggled closer to him, her thumb tracing his collarbone, "I suppose that's the case on occasion..."

Fred caught her hand in his free one, linking their fingers. "I can live with that."

"That's good."

He pulled her arm up to position it around his body, and paused, noticing something on her skin. "What's that?" he tried to pull her arm closer to get a better look.

Titan's entire body tensed. No. It was bad enough that Charlie knew about it, but not Fred, too. She tugged her arm out of his grasp and laid it across his chest again. "It's nothing. A scar from an accident I had when I was little."

He frowned, knowing there was more to it than that, but letting it go for the moment. "Alright...if you say so," he told her, doubt creeping into his voice.

Titan sat up and looked down into his eyes, "We will not discuss it. No matter how many times you ask about it. Whether you believe me or not doesn't matter."

"Never said I didn't" he told her flatly. It never ceased to astound him how easily she could read him.

Her face flushed slightly and her lip curled, "Your tone implied as much."

"Well even if it did, I still did not say it. Don't put words into my mouth, Titan."

Titan nodded and slid from the bed to begin the search for her clothes. She needed to get out of there before he became too curious.

Fred watched her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to piss you off," he said quietly.

Titan turned back to him, "Of course you didn't, Fred." She turned back to finding her clothes. _Now where had her underwear gotten to?_

"Don't be mad," he sat up, " I just don't like secrets being kept from me. Especially if they involve you."

"Hmph" It was maddening, she didn't have her wand, and she couldn't find half her clothes. She supposed, if she buttered Fred up enough, that she could wear his. But that would require answering his questions which was not possible. "Definitely not." She muttered to herself. Titan glanced up at him. "I can see your point. And I suppose that if I were in your place, I might feel the same. However, that is not the case."

Fred nodded, understanding somewhat. "You're right it's not. So I don't know how I would feel in your situation."

Titan grasped her right forearm and looked at him. "The things you are asking about Fred, I cannot discuss them freely with you. Someday, I hope. But most definitely not right now. Do you understand that?"

"Someday....So that means either it's too painful or it's something I shouldn't know about yet." he said thoughtfully. "But, if you promise to tell me before anyone else, I can be happy with a 'someday'," he told her.

She almost groaned. Tell him before someone else, eh? She hadn't told Charlie the _whole_ truth, so she surmised she could accept his terms. "Alright, I promise, Fred."

"Then I can wait," he said equally, "When the time comes, you'll tell me." He wasn't going to let it go, but he had no choice at the moment. She was tight lipped about it, and now that he took some time to consider it, everything in her past.

She gazed at Fred thoughtfully. If only she hadn't attacked Snape, she'd have seen more of him. She would be able to have a normal relationship with him. This bet had not been a good idea. Titan bristled with anger as a stray thought struck her. _If it weren't for that brat, I'd be normal. My father would love me and my mother would still be alive._ She growled as she spun around and picked up a shoe, which she deposited on the bed. She looked at Fred again, what if the reason he wanted her was because she wasn't normal? _Ha, that's a laugh._

"Titan.... he murmured quietly while pulling her into his arms, "You may not want to hear this," he wrapped her into a tight hug, "I don't expect anything from you but attention."

"Eh? Don't I give you attention?" She looked into his face.

"Yes, you do. That's not what I meant. I just meant that as long as you keep giving me attention, I'm yours." He i for her.

"I'm still confused. Did I ever not give you attention when I was supposed to be giving it?"

"No, no, Don't worry about it, alright? Just forget I said it," he told her kissing her on the forehead.

"Fred...I get the strange feeling that you're trying to say something without saying it." She touched his face with her hand, "I told you, subtleties are lost on me right now." _I've got too much on my mind without trying to figure out your cryptic crap._

"It's fine. Just forget I said anything like that, alright? It's not a big deal." he informed her.

Titan shook her head as she extricated herself from his arms, "You're lying. You look like I just murdered your dog." This was ridiculous, at least she had a reason to keep things from him. What was the worst he could throw at her? Nothing she would be too shocked to deal with. Half of her clothes were still missing and she was on the verge of hitting him in the head so that she could escape, damn, she needed her wand for that. Argh!

"Fine, you want to know what I'm trying to say? _REALLY_ want to know?" he stared at her, "I'm in love with you. Totally over-the-moon, head-over-heels, and all that other shit, IN LOVE WITH _YOU_!" he ended in a half-shout half-strangled voice. "I don't want anyone else near you, with you, or even fucking _looking_ at you!"

Titan jumped slightly. He what? Impossible! _Oh, stars, he just confessed. _Her mouth opened and closed several times, "Fred. I-"

"Shh, you don't have to say anything. I don't expect a response anywhere near the same magnitude. But I'm not going to hide my feelings. You wanted to know, and I told you. So it's out there and I won't take it back."

She nodded. "Right. Not to rain on your big confession or anything, but could you help me find my clothes?"

Fred nodded. Grabbing his wand from his pants that were on the floor next to the bed, he stood. _"Accio_ Titan's clothes," suddenly his face was covered with various articles of her clothing. "Found 'em,"

"Oh, thank you!" Titan clapped her hands together and flitted to his side and gave him a kiss on the cheek before disentangling her clothes from him.

He laughed. "Not a problem."

She frowned. "I just wish I'd worn something more suitable for sneaking through the castle...hmph."

"Oh, but we can still sneak," he told her smirking. "Would you like to?"

Titan's eyes widened, "Do you honestly carry that map with you everywhere you go?"

"No! Not the map!" he laughed, "There's a charm you can use..."

Titan tilted her head, "You mean the Disillusionment Charm?"

Fred nodded. "Yea. It works like.. well, like a charm. I have never gotten caught using it."

Titan laughed, "I should hope not."

"Well, let's test it," he rubbed his hands together.

Titan raised an eyebrow. "Shall we get dressed first? Or shall we go traisping around the castle buck ass naked and catch our death of cold?"

"I think I'll go naked. If the spell works like its supposed to, no one would know anyway!" he said

"Fine." Titan shrugged, "I suppose you'd do so just so I'd take care of you when you get sick. And if that the case, "She picked up his pants. "I'm wearing your clothes."

Fred raised an eye, "Fine by me," he said, tapping himself so he blended in with the bed and surrounding area. "Can you see my nakedness?"

She shook her head. "No. Thank gods, I was really starting to get disturbed." Titan stepped into Fred's pants and pulled them on, fastening them before she searched for his shirt.

"Well, I didn't know I was that ugly," he joked. "Ready?"

Titan tugged his shirt on. "Yes. Where are you?" She looked around the room confused.

He tapped her shoulder with his index finger. "Right here," he breathed against her ear quietly. He began to undo the buttons on his shirt. How far would she let him go?

Titan reached her hand out and caught only air. _This was not good._ "Now Fred, this is hardly fair. I can't see you to kiss you...." _Or knock you unconscious so I can escape, you wretched scoundrel..._

_# # # #_

Fred lay next to her, breathing deeply. Round Two had been so much better than he could have expected. His wand had disappeared under his discarded clothes and he had not yet retrieved it, so he was still invisible.

Titan lay on her side, she assumed, facing him. She reached her hand out and touched his warm flesh. It felt to her like his chest, and she let her fingers walk across its expanse before trailing lower.

He grabbed her hand, almost growling. "Titan.."

Titan's eyes widened in innocence. "Yes, Fred?"

"No more tonight," he told her firmly.

"Tsk. Tsk. No stamina." She propped herself up on her elbow and looked at her wrist. Her eyes widened in horror to see it was her right one. And the mark could be seen, plain as day. Suddenly, an invisible Fred was not so fun.

Fred had certainly seen it, and was staring at it. "Titan...that's the Dark Mark on your arm," he accused.

Titan tried to wrench her arm from his grasp. "So it would seem."

Fred raised an eyebrow, though she couldn't see it. "Why is it there?"

Again, she tried to tug her arm away from him. "Because it is."

"Only Death Eaters have that mark....Though you seem to be different than they," he added.

"Fred. Let go of me." She pulled harder.

He released her arm. "Fine."

Titan sat up, "And to answer your question. It is from an incident in my childhood. I told you that already."

"Alright...I mean it's not like you actually work for You Know Who.. or even did...it's impossible, you were only three."

Titan suddenly stood and snatched his pants from the floor. "You're right." She began tugging the pants on.

Fred searched for his wand and found it under his shirt. He tapped himself. "Well of course I am...So, how did you even get that, then?"

She snatched up his shirt and shrugged into it. "I really don't remember..." she lied. She really _did_ remember. It had been Voldemort's gift to her when she'd gotten her school letter. But that wasn't something she was going to share with him anytime soon. Titan began doing up the buttons on the shirt as she glanced at the now visible Fred.

"Oh...that's fine." Fred told her. "At least you don't remember. That has to help somewhat."

Titan's hands stilled and her eyes locked on his. What would he say if he knew she was lying to him? If he knew half the things she'd done? She shook her head to clear it, "I really can't agree with you on that." She finished buttoning and looked down to make sure she was covered before walking towards the door.

"Titan?" he called softly. He didn't want her going off into the castle pissed off, especially at him. "I'm sorry I mentioned it. It just caught me by surprise."

Titan shrugged. "There's no need to apologize, Fred. You're simply curious. There's no harm in that." She put her hand on the doorknob, "Now, I need some sleep. which won't happen if I stay here with you, so I'm leaving, and I'm taking your clothes with me. Alright?"

Fred sighed, "That's fine, Titan. I'm just going to sleep here." he climbed into the bed.

"I'm sorry, Fred. That you want to talk about these things and I can't."

"It's fine. Just be careful and don't get caught sneaking back," he told her, back turned to her.

Titan hung her head and trudged sneakily off to the Gryffindor Tower barefoot.

Fred went back to the dorm, after he was sure everyone would be at breakfast, to change into different clothes and take a shower. The events with Titan had plagued him most of the night. He saw the "borrowed" clothes on his bed and laughed to himself. Then he saw a pouch resting on his pillow. _What is that?_ He opened it and dumped the contents of it on the bed. Eyes widening, he gathered it up, placed it in his pocket and went in search for Titan.

Titan sat at the table in the Great Hall, eating breakfast with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and George. They were all laughing, and and chatting animatedly when Fred stalked into the hall, a determined look on his face. He took the bag out of his pocket after he spotted Titan at the table. Walking over he calmly stood in front of her. "I'm not taking this," he tossed the bag at her.

Titan's face smoothed over as she plucked the bag back up and flung it back at him. "Tough. It's yours."

"No, it's not. I can't take it." he tossed it at her.

Titan threw it back. "I said, it's yours."

Flinging it forcefully at her, he lost his temper. "Damn it, Titan. I am not taking that! I am not a pay by the hour whore! You're taking it, and that's that!"

Titan stood calmly and flung the satchel back at him forcefully. "You won the bet. Take the money. Whore or not, it belongs to you."

"I forfeit the bet," he said. He dropped the bag on the table in front of Hermione and walked back out of the hall, aware of the stares following him.

Titan snagged the bag off the table and darted out of the hall behind him. Once the door swung closed, she let her anger roll over, "Fred!"

Already halfway up the stairs, he turned. "I am not taking it!"

"Why?"

"Damn it woman! I just told you, I am not a whore!" He said, then added quietly. "And last night was not something to be won. It was priceless and meaningful, at least on my part," he said, not knowing how she had felt about last night put him in a most uncomfortable position.

Her fury escalated. He'd gone back on his word. And she hated that. She vaulted herself up the stairs to him. "I never said you were a whore, Fred Weasley!" She poked him in the chest with her finger, "We had an agreement, and if by holding to that agreement I offended you, than maybe you should have thought of that beforehand!" she paused as a strange look crossed her face, "Or, did you not expect me to hold true to the agreement?" Did he really think so little of her?

"Of course I expected you to. But I still cannot accept it."

"Then give me a reasonable excuse why." For the second time in her life, she wanted to hit him.

His face hardened. "Because, like I told you last night, I love you. I can't accept something like that from you, because to me, it wasn't a bet. It was a night of wild romance....one I would like to have again. But more importantly, you don't take money from someone just because you won something...especially from someone you love."

Titan stared at him for a few moments, truly not understanding, "You're so confusing."

"What is so confusing about it Titan?"

Her face hardened into a smooth mask. "You made a bet with me. And then you went back on it. You didn't hold yourself to your word, and didn't expect me to hold to mine. You used the bet as an excuse to fuck me, but refuse to continue with your charade. In short, you lied to me. And I don't have time for liars."

"ME? Lying to you? Please.. thats a good one," he gave a harsh laugh. "I'm not the one who's lying here, Titan. I know that mark isn't from your childhood....your eyes gave that much away. And, the bet was FAR FROM an excuse to fuck you. I made it, trying to.....calm myself down. I would have still fucked you if we hadn't even made that damn bet!"

Titan snapped and she growled. "It is from my childhood, whether you believe me or not. It is in no way a recent occurrence. And on that note: I have things I _must_ protect, Fred! If I tell you what you want to know, you'll be in danger! There is no way I would drop that on you! And you didn't even want to look at me, let alone touch me before you made that bet! So don't give me that 'I still would have' shit just because you changed your mind!"

"Does the word _LOVE_ mean nothing to you? I don't just change my mind about having sex with someone! I watched you, became friends with you, teased you.. and ultimately fell in love with you! You obviously don't realize that some things are more important, that last night wasn't something I pulled out of my ass! Whatever it is your protecting, fine. Don't mention it, I don't care anymore."

Titan had heard enough, she pulled her arm back and cold cocked him in the face, sending him flying, "You insolent fool! How dare you criticize me?!" She pulled her arm back to strike again before curling her hand into a fist and pulling it against her chest, "Argh!" She spun around and darted back down the stairs.

Fred just stared after her, sighing. He had scared her off. He knew it would happen, he just didn't think it would be so soon.

Titan stalked out the front doors of the school and into the snow. The little red bag was still clenched in her hand. She'd get him to take it, even if she had to shove it down his throat, he'd take it. Did he not understand honor? Love or not, they had an agreement. Her mother had loved James, and Harry, and look where it had gotten her. Stomping through the snow, she realized she definitely preferred honor.

As the next couple of weeks progressed, Titan's mood swings became unbearable. She would be calm one moment, then snap sharply the next. On more than one occasion, Harry tried to talk to her and he was ignored or given a false response. Sometimes she would duck into the bathroom to simply avoid him and he would send Hermione in after her. One and a half weeks before the second task, as they all sat at the breakfast table, Hermione had had enough.

"Harry?" She leaned in and whispered, "Have you noticed Titan's appearance lately?"

Harry looked up at her and then glanced at his sister, "She looks sick. Like she has the flu or something."

Hermione nodded, "Exactly. We have to get her to the hospital wing before she gets worse."

George snorted, "I doubt you'll accomplish that. She wouldn't go even if it meant saving her life."

What to do? What to do? Titan curled her lip at the plate of food on front of her and pushed it away from herself. She needed to do something to get rid of this ailment, and fast. She could go see Madame Pomfrey. She shook her head. No, that wouldn't do, she'd need an explanation if she did that. Then how? Titan lifted her head and found Hermione staring at her. "Yes, Mione?"

Hermione leaned forward, "Are you feeling alright?"

Titan's eyebrow lifted, "Spectacular, why?"

Hermione shifted uncomfortably and George answered for her, "You look really pale, and you're not eating very well," he indicated her plate of food, "We thought you might be ill."

Was it that obvious? Titan stood and grabbed her bag as a wave of nausea hit her. "I'm alright, I promise." She darted out of the Hall and headed for the nearest bathroom, but tripped and went flying down the stairs, landing face first on the stone floor. She pulled herself up and sat there for a few minutes, waiting for the pain to subside. She eventually heard footsteps on the stairs, "Titan?"

_Not good._ She turned toward the voice, recognizing it immediately. "Yes?"

George came to stand right behind her, "Why are you sitting on the floor?" Concern marred his face and voice as he looked at her.

Titan shrugged, "I tripped and fell. Nothing major." She took the hand he offered and allowed him to help her stand.

When she wobbled a bit, he wrapped his arms around her to steady her, "Are you sure you're alright?"

Titan nodded as she pulled herself away from him, "I'm great. I mean it," she added when he stared at her skeptically.

George nodded, "You know, you're lucky it was me and not Snape that found you. He'd use it as an excuse to give you detention."

Titan gasped. Of course! Why hadn't she thought of it before? Snape could help her! She darted around George and back up the stairs. Things were starting to look up and they continued to do so until just before dinner that night, when Titan emerged from a stall in the girl's toilet to find Hermione staring at her.

Titan ignored her as she washed her hands and splashed some cool water on her face. This caused Hermione to raise an eyebrow, which Titan ignored as she grabbed her bag and headed for the door.

"Titan?"

She paused, "Yes, Mione?"

"We're worried about you."

Titan resumed walking and pulled open the door, "I'm fine. Really." she shut the door behind her and hurried down to the dungeons.

**A/N: Hey, all. So sorry for the excessive length of this chapter, it didn't work any other way. And it was also a very naughty punk to write. Again, thanks to those of you that are actually reading, and also to Colie88 for her help. (You will never truly know how entertained I was while writing this out with you.) Review, but only if you want to. Thanks for reading! -KyoMae-**


	15. The Ailment

**A/N: Hey all! So sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been real busy getting settled in here at school and in the dorms. I've had all this typed up for quite a bit, it just needed tweaked and edited. Thanks for your support, those of you who have stuck with this. And to those new readers, it's going to get better from now on, I promise! -KyoMae-**

Severus Snape was sitting behind his desk and grading essays when there came several knocks upon his door. Without looking up from his work he spoke, "Come in."

There was a loud bang as the door slammed against the stone wall. He cursed, jumping at the noise and giving an unnecessary mark to the current essay as Titan came barreling into the office.

"Professor, I need to speak with you." At the intense frustration and fret that was apparent in her voice, Severus snapped his head up and met her gaze. The haunted look in her eyes had him wanting to set his work aside immediately. Instead he turned back to the piles of parchment in front of him.

"Shut the door, Black." Titan did as she was told and sat in a chair in front of the desk.

Severus heaved an irritated sigh as he set down his quill and leaned forward on his desk. "Now, Titan, you know that the only thing I can give you for your dreams is the tonic I am already providing." When Titan nodded her head silently, he stood and stepped out from behind his desk to kneel beside her, turning her face upwards so that he could see into her eyes. As he did so, he spoke softly, contradicting his normal demeanor. "Titan, what's wrong?"

Titan opened and shut her mouth several times, but no words came out. Severus tried another route, "Does it involve a Weasley?"

She squeaked at the name and violently shook her head up and down. He almost growled at her nervous reaction, and had to take a couple of calming breaths before returning to his questions.

"Did he hurt you?"

Titan shook her head from side to side, "I...I- I hav-ha-have to...."

Severus encouraged her. "You have to what? Take a few deep breaths and then try again."

Titan nodded and breathed in and out a couple of times, "Professor, I have to kill it," she clutched at her stomach.

He stood, utterly suspicious. "Black, what the bloody hell are you getting at?"

She stood to face him, "I'm saying that Fred and I had a midnight tryst and a few things got slightly out of hand," she swallowed, "And now, I'm...I'm......pregnant."

"'_SLIGHTLY OUT OF HAND_'?!?!" Severus bellowed, "You call being pregnant, '_slightly out of hand'_?!" When Titan flinched, he checked his anger, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled. I know that both you and he are loose, troublesome cannons..it's just, did he have to loosen THAT cannon?"

Titan let out a cough that sounded something like a laugh. Did she think this was funny? Then his wording hit him, and he had to work hard to suppress a small chuckle himself.

"Well, how?"

She shook her head as the tears began to flow down her cheeks, "I don't know," she looked up at him, her eyes pleading, "I'm scared, Professor."

Severus stared at her, his mind reeling with disbelief. This was not the Titan he was accustomed to. This blubbering creature before him was someone else, and yet, it did not disgust him. In fact, it only made him want to protect her more. Before he could consider his actions, he rested his palm against her cheek and wiped away her tears with his thumb. "Do not cry anymore. I will make you a potion before things progress much farther."

Titan closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, finding comfort in his gesture. "Thank you, Professor."

Severus stiffened at the softness in her voice. What was this piercing emotion that had begun raging through his blood ever since she'd said she had slept with _him_? Surely not jealousy? Why should he, Severus Snape, be jealous? _Because she let that Potter whelp into her arms and not you_, his inner voice replied nastily. Now where the hell had that come from? She was his student, Titan. _This was not Lily, but her daughter_. Her daughter that didn't even look like her. Mentally shaking himself, he thought about removing his hand only to cup her chin and pulled her face upward to look her in the eyes, "I will do this only once. Therefore, it is my recommendation that you never be so careless again." _Good man, let her see that you're not a pushover._

She nodded, her face hardening as she spoke, "Trust me when I say it was a mistake that I shall not be repeating." _With either of them._

_Good girl._ Against his brain's protests, Severus pulled her to him in an awkward hug, "I will have the potion ready in three days. Now go get some rest."

When he'd shut the door after seeing her out, he vaguely thought that he should start charging her for the ingredients and time it took to prepare the potions she was requesting from him.

As Titan left the office, her panic began to subside. Things were starting to look better than they had in weeks. Her problem would be taken care of in a few days' time, and she would be free to continue as if it never happened. Now all she had to do was dodge Fred, not that that would be a problem, considering how they had parted. Walking absently up the first set of stairs leading toward Gryffindor Tower, she debated briefly on what his reaction would be if she actually told him she was pregnant. She snorted. Like she would ever tell him. _No._ No one, especially the Weasleys and Voldemort, would ever know about this misadventure of hers.

George came around the corner, spotting Titan. "Hey there. Where you been? Haven't seen you in hours. Fred's going nuts over it." he told her, meeting her at the top of the stairs.

Titan stopped dead in her tracks. She highly doubted that Fred was worried over her. She leveled her gaze at him. "I had a few questions for Professor Snape."

"Oh, on that retarded essay he set us? Yea..it's honestly pretty abnormal. I mean, can you believe he actually wants us to try and comprehend....." he caught her puzzled look and his voice trailed off. "Sorry...it's hard to remember sometimes that we're not in the same year anymore." he blushed, slightly embarrassed.

She gave a false laugh that she hoped sounded real, "Yea. It's a bit of a bitch, really."

"I bet...." he said staring at her. "You sure you're alright? Lately you haven't been yourself and, well, I don't know..I for one, find it a bit..odd."

_He's more perceptive than he appears. _Titan sniffed and rolled her shoulder before placing her arm through his, "I've just been feeling a bit under the weather, is all."

"Alright...if you're sure.." he said letting the matter drop. "At least take something to help you sleep. Yes," he told her before she could interrupt. "I know you haven't been sleeping well...if at all. You have massive shadows under your eyes."

She winced, "Damn. I thought I was doing good at hiding it..."

"Maybe for people that don't know you that well. But sometimes, I happen to notice things others don't. You know...the quiet observer."

Titan sighed and ruffled his hair with a smile, "You're so good to me."

"No way. If I were that good, I'd know how to make you feel better," he said. "Back to the common room, or did you have somewhere else in mind?"

_It's a shame Fred can't be this easy to talk to._ "I was headed for the common room. You know something, George? You're going to make some girl very happy someday." She let him lead the way, still arm in arm.

"If you say so...Most don't want to date me because they think I'm Fred.. and well, let's just say he's a bit of a ladies man." He gave her a wink. "He's dated _many_ girls and most can't tell us apart. So I'm left to wait until after school," he sighed dramatically.

She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder, "He's really been that busy these past two years?" _I knew he was full of shit...'I love you' my ass..._ "Well, we can't all be overzealous when it comes to relationships, can we? But I meant it. Someday, some girl will be _very_ lucky to have your affections."

George blushed slightly, "Well, thanks, Titan. It means a lot that you think so."

Titan laughed, "I'm flattered that you think so highly of my opinion."

"Well not many girls would tell a guy that," he said shrugging the shoulder she was attached to.

"Why wouldn't they?"

"Well, not many girls that aren't dating a guy would say that." he corrected.

Titan tilted her head to the side in confusion, "Because they're so focused on landing one for themselves?"

"Most likely," he said. "I don't try to figure out a woman's mind. Some are too complicated, while others are so simple, it's too damn hard."

The poor man was suffering in his brother's shadow. _How sad._ "I completely concur. I find that males can be the same way, though."

"True..I suppose it's possible. I like a direct approach, when possible. Other times....not so much, you know?"

Titan smiled up at him, she was thoroughly enjoying this conversation. "Again, I agree with you completely. Straightforward is always best unless hem-hawing is unavoidable."

George grinned. "I knew I kept you around for a reason!"

Her eyebrow lifted. "Oh, really? And why is that?"

"Because you're good for talking to." he teased.

Titan smiled before stopping suddenly as a wave of nausea flooded her. _Deep breaths. Deep breaths. Deep breaths. Deep breaths._ This ailment had some seriously shitty timing.

"You alright?" he looked at her strangely. "You know I was just joking right? I love having you as a friend...I don't just keep you around for talking...though that _is_ a plus.."

She breathed deeply a few more times and swallowed hard. "I know. I just, suddenly felt sick." She inhaled deeply again and readjusted her grip on his arm. "I'm alright now."

"Are you sure? Can I help you lie down...take you to the nurse...something?"

"I'm fine." She lied. This was really starting to get old, and fast. "What were we talking about?"

"I was just teasing you, thats all." he told her, eying her warily.

Titan smiled. "Ah, yes. Something about keeping me around simply for my conversational skills and good looks."

"_I _said nothing about looks," he smirked. "Though now that you mention it, they are a plus."

"I'm pleased that you approve." She smirked mischievously at him.

"Oh, and why is that?"

_Because someone as kind hearted as you, should never be nice to someone like me._ "Oddly, I'm not sure." She screwed up her face in mock concentration.

He laughed. "Aw, you certainly know the way to a man's heart," he playfully kissed her cheek.

Titan tried not to smile, and failed. "You flatter, sir."

"I aim to please."

Her smile turned wicked. "I'll bet you do."

"Wanna try me?" The glint that flew into his eyes matched her smile.

She winked at him. "That all depends on what we're trying?"

"Anything that pleases you, Mistress Titan."

Titan felt the heat rise to her face and she stared at him for a few moments. There were so many ways that the twins were different, as she well knew, yet she couldn't help but compare the two. Fred would have had his arms around her by now, whether he was allowed to or not, letting his actions say what he wanted. George let his eyes speak for him, and right now, they held amusement and concern. "Spend some time with me, every day."

"I can do that," he said quietly, noting she was serious. What was going on? Were they flirting with each other? Could he do that with her knowing his twin was totally over the moon for her? _Sure. Not like you're sleeping with her or anything. It's just two friends hanging out. It's absolutely harmless._

She smiled and laughed. "See? I'm relatively easy to please." _Most days._

George smiled back. "Yes, you are. Though you _can_ be rather demanding at times. Then again, I just assume that whatever you want, you want right that second. Consequences be damned." he laughed lightly.

Titan clutched at her heart jokingly, "I'm surprised, George. How is it that you know me so well?"

"I'm an observer, remember?"

"Am I that easy to read, my dear?"

"Not always," he said. "But sometimes, just noticing this or that, can tell you what a person is really doing or saying.." he paused then added, "or going through."

Titan's eyes widened and she nodded. Was he trying to hint that he suspected something? "I regrettably don't have that ability. Which is generally frustrating."

"It's something you pick up," he told her. "And it is _SOMETHING_, not just random cold bugs, that's making you sick, isn't it?"

Damn. He caught her. She nodded, "I think it's something I ate, or this tournament. I'm very worried about Harry, you know."

He sighed. "I believe you, but I still don't think that's it. You wouldn't have acted so surprised if it was one of those two things. You're hiding something."

Titan shrugged and leaned her head against his shoulder again. "Possibly. I don't want to offend you," _Like I apparently did your brother_, "But I'd appreciate it if you didn't press me for anything more that that for now."

"I don't have to..." he sighed. "But I also won't say what I think it is." he told her.

She ignored that last comment, praying that his mind wasn't right, "Thank you."

"No problem. So....hungry? I was going to sneak down to the kitchens before I ran into you."

She immediately perked up, lifting her head. "Starving." Oh, shit! Had she just said that? _Way to give him a clue, Black..._

George laughed at her expression. "Well, let's go then."

Soon, Titan found herself sitting in the kitchens amongst the bustling house elves. "This never ceases to amaze me."

"The efficiency, or the number of elves?"

"Just the elves in general." She took a bite of the tart that was in front of her. "They're so happy, it's mind boggling."

"Oh..you mean how they like to be enslaved?" George nodded. "Yea...but did you know there's one in here that actually works for money? And Dumbledore pays him well, too."

Titan tilted her head to the side. "Really? Which one is he?"

"Dobby," he said. "Harry set him free back in his second year. He was being treated very cruel for even an elf, and Harry tricked the owner into setting him free.."

Titan's lip curled at the thought of Harry being like their mother. "Freed an elf, eh? How noble of him."

"Well, not noble, I'd say. Just doing the right thing."

"Hm." She took a drink of pumpkin juice and watched George as he ate.

"What?" he said raising an eye at her. "I got food on me?"

She laughed. "Nothing. I'm just enjoying the view."

"View? Oh," he grinned. "Let me get out of your way.." he joked.

Titan poked him with her fork. "Don't you think you're cute?"

He shook his head and tossed an orange slice at her." Naw, I'm dead sexy."

She dodged the food and snorted, "Uh-huh, sure you are."

"Hey, you just admitted it!" He tossed another one at her.

"I most certainly did not!" She snatched the slice and tossed it back at him.

"Ok ,fine you didn't. I can pretend you did, though!" he smirked at her and ate another piece.

Titan sighed and shook her head, "What am I going to do with you?"

"Play with me?" he gave her puppy dog eyes.

She grabbed his chin and stared into his eyes, "The interesting part is that you actually mean that."

He shrugged. "So? You can't play a game of chess or something with me?"

_Going to play innocent, is he?_ She smiled and tucked her hand under her own chin. "I suppose I can. Shall we adjourn to the common room?"

George shrugged. "Sure.. I guess this means you're going to share me now..." He tried desperately not to pout.

"What would give you that idea?"

"Public place, lots of people..." he said as if it were obvious. He had really enjoyed being alone with her.

"Ah," Titan rose to her feet and took his arm to pull him up. "Actually I was going to hijack a corner and not let anyone else venture into it, but, if you _want _to talk to other people..."

"Hijacking sounds better," he said grinning.


	16. A Game of Chess and a Detention

They climbed through the portrait hole arm in arm. Titan released George and flitted over to Harry. She gave him a quick hug before sailing past a semi-glowering Fred to settle herself in a corner.

George followed her, noticing Harry giving her a slightly puzzled look. "I think your brother thinks you're mental...he's wondering why you did that," he said laughing a bit. "And Fred looks ready to kill."

She laughed, "I wouldn't be surprised if Harry thought I was off my rocker. As for your brother..." She growled. "To hell with him." She perked up almost instantly. "So, do you have a chess set?"

He stared at her for a moment, surprised by the comment that she had made about Fred. Deciding to let it slide, he summoned his chess set and caught it in his hands. "You two fight or something?"

Titan shrugged, picking up a chess piece to examine it. "I suppose you could put it nicely like that." She smiled warmly at him. "This is an interesting set."

"Thanks..." he said before he ordered a pieces to move. He looked up at her. "What did you fight about?"

"Me." She ordered a pawn forward and it yelled at her. She picked it up and snarled at it before placing it back on the board.

George raised an eye. "Well, you're well worth arguing over.." he said making his move.

She ordered another move. "Yes, well, that sentiment is wonderful coming from you and would only count in your brother's defense if he wasn't completely full of shit and undereducated on the subject."

"Of you?" He stared at her, distracted from the game. "He doesn't know as much as he thinks he does..." He snorted, "go figure."

Titan leaned forward. "I'd say he knows about fifteen percent of what he thinks he does."

"That wouldn't be a whole lot then, since he considers himself and expert in your case."

She laughed and poked him in the nose. "_I'm_ not even an expert on me. How the hell could he be?"

Shrugging he rubbed his nose. "I have no clue.. but that hurt..a bit." he said joking. "Lemme poke you.." He leaned over the table and poked her in the shoulder, only it didn't hit her shoulder, he had aimed a bit too low. He blushed. "Sorry."

She smiled reassuringly. "It's alright. Happens to the best of us."

"Right.." he looked at the board and moved a knight.

"Sorry." She murmured as she sent a bishop to overtake his knight, "I seem to have caused you some discomfort."

He shifted in the chair, trying to find a comfortable position...which was not exactly possible in his current state. "Queen..E5." He said quickly, hoping she didn't notice his discomfort.

Titan stared at the board, seeing no move she could make to eliminate his queen. "Oh, balls...I'm fucked."

George winced at her wording."Naw.. you're.. not." he said shifting again in his chair.

Totally lost, she ordered a non massacred pawn forward. "Well obviously I am. I mean, are you actually watching me do this? I have no idea what I'm doing, do I?"

He cleared his throat. "Some people are just naturally talented. I'm sure with practice, you will get better. And I can teach you how to move." he stopped then added quickly. "Your pieces.. move your pieces.."

Titan lifted an eyebrow and leaned on her arms on the table. There was something odd about his expression. "I'd like that very much."

"Great..lessons in chest...chess it is!" he said quickly smiling at her. "How's every Saturday sound?"

"Sounds good." She smiled back. "Your move."

"Oh..so it is.." he frowned, then moved a bishop into another square. "Check mate."

She leaned closer to the board and stared at it hard, "Well, fuck me..." she murmured before sending her rook to destroy the bishop.

_Wouldn't I love to._ He sighed and took a deep breath. He had to calm down. "Game over," he said.

"Wait...why? What'd...Oh, balls.." Her brow furrowed and her bottom lip pouted out as she considered the board.

"Sorry.. can't let you win everything, gotta learn the hard way." he said, though only he realized the double meaning of his statement.

"I know. I just..." She looked up at him, "Show me what you did."

He widened his eyes. "What?!"

Titan tilted her head. "The board," she pointed, "I didn't catch the move you made."

"Oh...um alright...here, watch.." he reset the pieces and began explaining how he had effective won the game.

She nodded as he explained, finally understanding. When he finished, she practically bounced with eagerness. "Can we do it again?"

"Sure," George took another calming breath, his problem still making itself known to him, as he reset the pieces.

Titan grabbed her hair and bound it into pigtails so that she could keep it out of her way. "Who moves first?"

"White.. which would be you."

She ordered a pawn across the board. "Thank you, George."

"For what?"

"For being such a sweetheart."

He shrugged, making his move. "It's what friends are for." O_nly friends..nothing more...nothing..Fred's..Fred's can't have FRED"S!_

She sighed and then chuckled. "Such a typical response."

George widened his eyes. "Typical response??" No way she could have read his mind...was there?

Titan sighed again. "Everyone brushes off kindness like it's some kind of disease, or an obligation. I was simply acknowledging the fact that you are genuinely nice. It's nothing to be ashamed of unless you're evil." She raised an eyebrow. "_Are_ you evil?"

"I hope not," he said shaking his head. "Then again, I could be..if you wanted me to be.." he teased, ignoring the warning voices in his head.

She laughed. "I'll have to keep that in mind for future reference."

He grinned, shifting again in his seat. "You do that," he said.

"Of course." She noticed his frequent shifting around. "You got some ants in those pants, or what?"

George sighed. "You could say that," he muttered.

"Really?" She leaned closer. "Like literally? I want to see!"

His eyes widened and he shook his head. "Not literally, Titan!" He backed his chair away slightly.

Titan stuck out her bottom lip in a mock pout. "Awww.." She frowned. "That's too bad."

"Yea...sure," he said awkwardly.

She quirked an eyebrow at his tone. "No. Seriously. Got something on your mind?"

"No, nothing that's important." he told her.

She nodded, not fully buying it. "Alright. Your move."

He moved his queen. "Check," he told smiling in triumph.

Titan made an inconsequential move while shaking her head. "Fucked......totally fucked..."

George had to ignore the vivid images that suddenly sprang to life in his mind and stare at nothing but the board until he was able to think normally again. "No..you're not. You're not in check mate. You have to move the King... and..." The images came back and he winced as he pictured her moving _him_...in a totally different way than what was appropriate.

"So, I move this one..?" She tapped the head of the king gently. "One space only......" She lightly plucked the king off the board and set it back down one space to the right. "There."

A few hours later, Titan was on an epic losing streak. "Oh, shit!"

"You'll get better. Especially playing with me." George mentally groaned just in time to keep himself from doing it out loud.

Titan sighed. "If you say so. The last time I played any kind of board game was with the Slytherins. Of course, they weren't as nice as this.." She smiled at him.

"I can imagine...bastards." he muttered. "Well, let's see if you can beat me.." he blinked twice. "Shit...uh....Let's see.." he moved another pawn, though there was no point.

"Actually, the Slytherins aren't all as bad as everyone thinks...." Her gaze shifted from him to the board and she moved a piece. "Just some of them."

George looked up and shrugged. "I'm sure. However, check," he told her, surprised she hadn't picked up on his earlier comment.

She sighed. "Not again...." She moved her king out of range again. "You know. I can't beat you if you're this good at it."

George had to take a deep breath to calm himself or he would have one hell of a time explaining a wet spot on his trousers. "I'll teach you," he said, swallowing hard.

Titan nodded. "Alright. Is there anything you'd like me to teach you in return?"

Images flashed through his head, but he batted those aside. "Defensive moves...spells...anything in that area. You're far better at it than me." he told her quickly. It was the truth, but also the first reasonable thing that came to his mind.

"Let me know when you want to start your lessons." She had the perfect place in mind. She raised her eyes from the board to his face again. It seemed to her like he was hiding something.

"I will...probably on Sundays, as I have nothing really better to do on those days anyway," he said. "As my Saturday is with you, why not my Sunday too?"

Titan clapped her hands together gleefully. "Yay! I get you all to myself on the weekends!"

He laughed. "You sure do!"

She bounced up and down in her seat for a minute before halting and clutching the table. "Whoa...that was a bad idea..."

"You alright?" he looked at her concerned.

"Um, yea." Titan stood. "I just got real dizzy there for a second. I think I'm going to go to bed now, though. I'll uh, see you tomorrow." She picked her way toward the girls dormitory stairs and vanished.

George stared at her, wishing he could go after her to make sure she was alright, yet part of him was happy she was gone. Now he wouldn't be so distracted as he slowly put the pieces of the game away.

Once out of the sight of the common room, Titan dropped to her knees and crawled up the rest of the way. She was dizzy, and she was nauseous. She couldn't wait until Saturday when the potion would be finished, she wouldn't have to do this anymore. She slowly climbed her way into her bed and managed to fall asleep before she could take any tonic.

The next day, Titan was exhausted. She'd been absolutely retarded and forgot to take any tonic. The nightmares had plagued her horribly after being repressed for so long. It wasn't until her cauldron exploded, that she even realized what class she was in.

Snape looked up from his desk ."Detention, Black. Tomorrow night, this classroom." he said casually before adding, "for putting the entire class in danger from scalding liquid."

Titan blushed furiously and looked down at the floor. "Yes, Professor."

He went back to his work as Hermione leaned over. "Are you sure you're alright?" she asked her. "You didn't sleep well last night."

Titan nodded and began trying to clean herself up. "I'm fine. just been having some nightmares lately."

"Oh, you should go see the nurse. She can give you a dreamless sleep potion." she said.

Titan flushed again. "Yea. I have some, I just forgot to take it last night."

Hermione nodded. "I hope you don't have to use the stuff for long," she said. "Some people can get addicted to it."

"I know." She sighed. "Trust me, I wouldn't be taking this stuff if I didn't absolutely need it. It tastes really awful."

"Nothing they make or give us tastes good. It tastes awful so we know its working." Hermione said. "At least_ I_ think that's the reasoning behind it."

Titan chuckled. "You know, Mione, for someone so intelligent, you really are full of shit."

She raised an eyebrow. "Thanks, I think."

Titan smiled. "You're quite welcome."

"So, it was a compliment?"

"Yes, Mione, it was a compliment. Thanks for trying to make me feel better."

"You're welcome. We are friends and I look out for them as if they were family," she said. "And even some that aren't my friends,"

Titan patted her arm. "You're such a nice person."

"So are you," she told her, cleaning up part of the table where Titan's potion had covered it.

Titan shot Hermione a dark look out of the corner of her eye. "If you say so."

"Of course I do."

Titan smiled at Hermione, deciding to let her comment slide. It would be no use to argue with Hermione over her own virtue. Especially when her supporting evidence was experiences that she didn't want to share with anyone. At dinner that night, Titan didn't even bother loading her plate. She simply snagged a roll and buttered it, but barely touched it.

"You need to eat," George said sitting next to her.

She shrugged and took a sip of pumpkin juice. "I'm not feeling particularly hungry right now."

"You need to eat." he repeated.

Titan turned her head to look him in the eye. "What makes you say that?"

He glanced down at what appeared to be the table in front of her, though he was looking elsewhere. Then he raised his eyes to meet hers again. "That's why."

Had he figured it out? It didn't matter, there was no way she'd EVER tell anyone but Snape. Titan feigned innocence. "I haven't the foggiest as to what you're implying."

George sighed. "Fine, play stupid. But I did tell you I had my suspicions." He said grabbing a piece of toast along with some eggs.

_Suspicions that I'm ignoring._ "I honestly have no idea as to what you're referring, George."

"Again, play stupid. But I do know why you're so sick," he told her shrugging and eating his eggs. "I just didn't think you'd want the whole Hall to hear about it."

Titan nodded and frowned at her roll. "Yes, well, do yourself a favor and forget about it, alright?"

"I will..." he said. " If you promise to never let it happen again."

She snorted. What was it with people making her promise that? "Never happening again. You can count on it."

"Good," he let the matter drop as he grabbed a dough nut.

She glared at her plate and stabbed the roll several times with her fork.

"Don't you have that detention tomorrow, Titan?" Hermione asked.

Titan half growled, half sighed before stabbing the roll again. "Yes. I do."

"Well, have fun. I remember he made Ron scrub stuff with no magic back in second year." Harry said.

She shook her head and examined the decimated roll. "Been there,done that. That was not fun. I used so much cleaner my hands bled."

"I remember my arms were sore for a week," Ron told her.

She chuckled. "Yea. Sadist bastard..."

"Who is?" Snape's voice came from behind her. George look horrified and shoved food in his mouth everyone followed his lead and did the same

Titan shrieked and ducked closer to the table, trying to quell the sudden nausea that flooded her. _Oh, gods, I'm gonna either die of embarrassment, or vomit myself to death. _She jumped up, pushing past Snape with a 'Scuse me!', and darted from the Hall headed for the nearest toilet.

"Voldemort." Hermione said simply. "We were talking about him."

Snape raised an eye before turning and walking swiftly back up between the tables. "Tell Black she has detention in my dungeon, eight o'clock sharp," he called as he walked away.

By the time she reached the bathroom, she didn't need it anymore. Titan sighed and reached for her bag only to realize she'd left it at the table. _Damnit._ She trudged her way to the Tower and downed some tonic before crawling into bed fully clothed. She spent most of the next day in bed, only emerging to the common room when, an hour before dinner, Hermione forced her to change clothes and dragged her down the stairs.

"Why are you doing this to me, Mione?" She grumbled as they stepped into the common room.

Because you need to eat, plus you have detention at eight with Snape," she told her in a matter of fact tone. "And I brought your bag back... which no one else wanted to do yesterday. You owe me."

"But I don't want to eat, Mione. And I know I have that detention. And thank you, I suppose. And what do you want in return, besides me eating?" Titan allowed herself to be drug closer to the fireplace.

"That's it. You eating. You slept all day. I know you're sick.. but you've been sick for awhile..so eating a bit more than a roll might help. And drinking some juice."

Titan stuck her tongue out in disgust and tried to pull away from her. "But, I'm not hungry!"

"I don't care."

"I don't care that you don't care, Hermione! I _really_ am _not_ hungry!" She turned her eyes to Harry. "Please help me."

Harry held his hands up in surrender. "I learned a long time ago not to mess with her when she's determined,' he said taking a step back.

Titan stopped struggling. "Fine! I'll eat, if that will appease her Royal Highness."

"Yes it will. All I ask is that you have a piece of meat, some juice and three bites of a vegetable," Hermione said, arms crossed over her chest.

"What the hell am I? A child?"

"No.. just stubborn."

Titan glared at Hermione. She didn't know what taking this potion would entail, and she didn't want to eat anything, just in case she needed to vomit. Her gaze flicked to George. She could tell him what she was going to do, and perhaps he could keep Hermione..._No_. Absolutely not. No one but Snape was to be informed. She would eat. And that was that. "I suppose I am."

"Yes, now come on.. some of us actually are hungry.." Hermione smiled.

Once she was seated at the table, Titan wanted to dart away. She tried twice, but George and Hermione grabbed her arms and forced her to sit back down. "Really, Hermione...just looking at that..." She shuddered.

Hermione sighed. "Then just eat half.. please?"

Titan shrank away from her and practically plastered herself to George's arm. "I can't Hermione. The juice is alright, but I'm not ready for anything that resembles _that_."

Hermione opened her mouth to protest again, but George cut her off. "Just let her have the juice Hermione. She'll eat when she is hungry."

Titan looked up at him and released a sigh. "Thank you." She breathed.

George nodded. "Juice." he demanded.

Obediently, she drank the juice on her goblet and downed some more when he filled it. "Happy?"

"Yes.. though Hermione isn't totally happy."

Titan again leaned away from the brunette. "Yes, well, she's just going to have to learn to live with disappointment."

Harry laughed. "That isn't something she does well. We tried to teach her chess back in first year and she's horrible at it...hated losing."

"That and the fact that she wasn't good at something." Ron said.

Titan spun her head around, she'd been talking to George, insolent little brats. Her gaze fell on Hermione. "Is that so? There's something you're not good at?"

Hermione blushed and nodded. "I never did get the hang of it and refused to play anymore."

"Wow." How much longer did she need to be here? She looked up at the staff table and noticed that Professor Snape wasn't there. "Anybody know what time it is?"

"Seven fifteen," Fred said, speaking for the first time in days.

Titan nodded absently and started to stand. "Right. Well, I'll just head to detention now, get it over with as soon as possible."

George nodded and watched her leave before turning to Hermione. "You should really lay off of her."

Hermione snorted. "Why? She's going to do herself some major harm if she doesn't eat. I know she's sick and all, but _really_."

"She can't keep anything down, Hermione. When she's better, she'll eat more." George told her.

"I understand, but-"

"Nope... lay off. Or you'll have lovely blond hair and green robes come morning."

Hermione flushed. "You wouldn't!"

"I would, and you know it."

Titan knocked on the door of Professor Snape's office. She realized she was knocking too timidly, and he would never hear her. She raised her hand to knock with more force when the door swung open.

"You're late," he snapped.

_But I'm early._ "I'm sorry, Professor." Titan murmured as she skittered across the threshold and closed the door.

Snape watched her. "So, I take it you want that potion so bad you made your cauldron explode the other day. Genius idea, really. Detention...me...no one would ever guess I'm helping you kill...well, anything."

"Actually, Professor, that was purely an accident."

"Ah.. so clumsiness was the cause. Well, doesn't matter. It served it's purpose anyhow."

Titan sat in a chair nervously. "Yes, Professor."

He handed her a small vile. "Take this right before bed and when you wake up, you'll be nauseas. Just let it go and don't worry if you see some blood. That's quite normal."

She nodded. "Thank you, so much, Professor."

He snorted darkly. "Now make yourself useful and clean this room before you leave. That is your detention. And no magic."

_Yes Master._ "Yes sir." Titan gathered the cleaning supplies and quickly began scrubbing the floor.

Snape raised an eye, watching her before sitting at his desk to grade papers, while he watched her from the corner of his eye. After approximately two hours, he looked up. "That's enough for now. You may go." He said before turning back to his work.

Titan put away the cleaning supplies and headed for the door. "Thank you, again, Professor. And good night."

"Good night." He muttered distractedly as she walked out the door.


End file.
